Eucharia Anunobi shares emotional story of son’s struggle with sickle cell

Veteran Nollywood actress and evangelist, Eucharia Anunobi, has shared the emotional story of losing her son after years of battling Sickle Cell Disease, describing the experience as one of the most challenging yet meaningful periods of her life.

The actress made the revelation during an appearance on the Honest Brunch Podcast, where she reflected on her journey as a mother raising a child with the SS genotype.

According to Anunobi, the struggle began when her son fell ill shortly before his first birthday and medical tests confirmed that he had sickle cell disease.

“Just before my son was one year old, he fell ill and I took him to the hospital. They checked his genotype and said he was SS, and there started the battle of my life,” she said.

Following the diagnosis, Anunobi said she became determined to learn everything possible about managing the condition and caring for a child living with the disorder.

“I started going everywhere. I started looking for medication, reading about herbs and studying everything about what it means to take care of an SS child,” she explained.

The actress noted that she had to adopt strict lifestyle measures to help protect her son’s health, including avoiding environments that could trigger complications.

“I started understanding that they can’t stay where there is dust or where there is heat. My son never drank pure water,” she added.

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Despite the challenges that came with managing the illness, Anunobi described the years she spent raising her son as deeply rewarding.

“I’m grateful that God gave me the opportunity to be a mother. The joy of having nurtured a child for 16 years, six months and 22 days — those years was one of the most glorious years of my life,” she said.

The actress added that the experience ultimately strengthened her faith and deepened her relationship with God.

“I’m grateful to God for making me a mother, and I learnt so much in the course of taking care of him. It deepened my relationship with God,” she said.