Sunday Afolabi was born with Sickle Cell Anemia to a middle class family in Nigeria West Africa. He grew up knowing that he was very special and brilliant as well. He would sometimes made comments such as “God must know why I have to bear this cross; but I look forward to a day when nobody will ever have to suffer from Sickle Cell Anemia again” He did not let anything deter his focus and he graduated high school in flying colors in 1986.

He moved to University of Ibadan in 1987 and studied Electrical Engineering. He finished in 1992 and got a job at Ikeja General Hospital, Lagos Nigeria.
He later became the Head of Engineering at this well-respected hospital until his death in 1999.
He died a few days to his 30th birthday on October 12th, 1999.
His life and death motivated the birth of Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario.

• We believe that a day will come when nobody will have to suffer with the pains of Sickle Cell Anemia ever again.
  
• We believe that by educating our community one person/group at a time, many will be saved from the agony and pain of Sickle Cell Disease.
  
• We have created the Sunday Afolabi’s Grant Award in the memory of this brave and brilliant young man.
  
  To apply for the bursary, please download and print the form below then send to:
  Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario Inc. P.O Box 73564, 509 ST. Clair Ave. W
  Toronto, ON. M6C 1C0 OR:
  E-mail it to: Email

Molly Chin, 48 years old, diagnosed at the age of 11 with Sickle Cell Anaemia, is a woman who is out to make the statement that Sickle Cell Anaemia is a disease that knows no discrimination.
With her background being Chinese, English, Welsh and German, Sickle Cell Anaemia for Molly and her family was the unexpected that any family could have dealt with. At first thought to be limited to only people of African descent, Sickle Cell Anaemia we now know affects all nationalities. Armed with this realization she has spent her whole life making a difference by raising awareness of this disease which will ultimately lead to finding a cure.

Not without setbacks, her challenges include the unexpected suffering of a crisis in the midst of whatever endeavour she sets out to do, the emotional and mental challenge of not being able to get the needed help when a crisis happens. This in turn creates the fear of not being able to help herself should anything happen.

Despite this fear, she has continued to push herself beyond the boundaries, not allowing that to stop her quest to bring to the limelight how this disease needs to be told from everyone who has it, and how everyone needs to make the choice to unite to see that changes happen in finding a cure for this disease.

She remains a spokesperson for Sickle Cell Anaemia and makes it her duty when possible to speak at events and conferences; telling her story of living with Sickle Cell Anaemia. She remains an encouragement to those who have Sickle Cell Anaemia on being more willing to speak at events because it helps when everyone is educated about this disease since education is the vital link to seeing a cure happen.

She contributed to the success of the recent passing in parliament of Mandatory Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Anaemia in Ontario. Not being easily intimidated, she spoke to the parliamentary panel about the "black stereotype" associated with the disease and showed them that SCD does not know discrimination.

The main focus is to have the education now than later. Screening for Sickle Cell Anaemia helps families to be prepared for the future of their children, believes Molly.

Her hope is that the advancement of science especially Stem cell research, can also help with finding a cure for this disease.

Molly’s desire is to ensure that Sickle Cell Anemia ceases to be a taboo subject, that it will no longer be an obscure issue which everyone is silent about, and that everyone who is living with Sickle Cell, or knows someone living with Sickle Cell will come out and tell their story no matter their age or ethnicity.

It is important that you tell your story. It could change our future. We must continue to educate those who may not know or be aware of this disease just before the next child is born to them with Sickle Cell Disease.

At Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario; we are proud of Molly for showing the world a different face to Sickle Cell Anemia.