Meet Akintola

Official Diagnosis:

Severe Sickle Cell Anaemia Disorder
An inherited blood disorder in which the body produces c-shaped red blood cells. Because of their shape, these cells stick to each other or to the sides of blood vessels, and cause serious health disorders. Sickle Cell Anaemia is a potentially lethal human disease.

Akintola’s Symptoms:

Extreme high temperature regularly
Extreme pain in whole body
Fatigue, tired all the time and can’t walk long distances
His whole body is swollen
Frequent infections
Pneumonia (3 times)
Frequent chest infections
Stomach crisis, bad apatite because of stomach aches
His face is often very swollen – can be almost double
Swollen and painful arms and legs
Cannot control bladder
Bad constipation
Refusing to drink – water through a syringe in hospital
Frequent headaches
Heart murmur
Swollen spleen
Jaundice
Asthma
Skin irritation

Medical Treatments:

Full blood transfusions (last transfusion was on June 16th 2007)
Bone marrow transplant (mother has not persued this option)
Twice a day penicillin for the rest of his life

After a 2 week Life’s 4 Living Programme:

Stopped taking all medication and pain killers without seeing any change in his condition
He is running around all day from morning till night, keeping up with other healthy kids
We never need to use the buggy
His appétit has improved hugely and he is eating normal regular meals
Face and body are no longer swelling
He is generally much happier and high spirited – even becoming naughty!

A Letter from Akintola's Mother

My son Akintola has been extremely ill with Sickle-Cell Anaemia since he was 18 months old. It has been a heartbreaking 6 years, watching my beautiful boy, far from able to keep up with other kids his age and often in severe physical pain.

Having had 6 years of hospital visits, blood transfusions, strong medication and endless sleepless nights, I had given up all hope of a bright future. There is no ‘medical cure’ for Akintola’s condition and I am a single mother also suffering from severe health challenges.

I have been on the Life’s 4 Living – Health Rejuvenation Programme in Croatia for 4 weeks now, and I can honestly say that I believe my son’s life has been saved!

Akintola is now not taking any medication or pain killers, we are never using the buggy (previously we used it all the time as he was too tired to walk), his appetite has improved hugely – he is eating proper regular meals for the first time, his face and body are no longer swelling up, he has hardly any pain in his body – and most impressively he is running around all day with other kids, from morning till night and unable to sit still for one minute... like a normal 6 year old!- he does still get tired from time to time, but I have never seen his energy levels so high in the whole of his life. He is actually starting to be ‘naughty’ and a real handful – which is a completely new experience for me!

Having come here purely for my son... I am amazed to see my own health also improve. I have had problems with my nervous system since Akintola’s birth, which created a lot of pain throughout my body, and it has been very difficult for me to walk. I am now walking without my walking stick almost normally, with a lot less pain. I’ve also lost a lot of weight.

Now I really believe life’s 4 living!!! I believe this programme can benefit all children, regardless of their condition