“During my sickle cell years, I couldn’t do some certain jobs because it would stress me out a lot. Ever since I had my stem cell transplant in 2012, that’s when I started to see a lot of difference. No more pain crises. Ever since that stem cell transplant, I just have been taking the rejection medicine for my stem cells not to reject my new cells.
The whole process…first I had to go take a whole pre-test. See how I really do with my sickle cell life. After that then I started to go for the whole stem cell transplant, which required me to be in the hospital for almost a month. The first day I had a whole stage of transfusion, getting rid of my sickle blood and replacing new blood in my own system. Then the next day I go on for chemotherapy, shut down my whole entire immune system. After that, for one dose of radiation, which was the worst part I experienced.
Next day, stem cell infusion, that’s when they start rebuilding my whole new life. Ever since I had that stem cell transplant, it’s like my second birthday.” – Wale, successful Bone Marrow Transplant, sickle cell anemia