It was a great day for NSCAO`s preliminary brief history. A collection of over 30-40 people attended the seminar in Storgaten 11 to hear the lectures about sickle cell anemia and not least, come together and share experiences associated with this disease.

The seminar started with Collette Akeyo welcoming everyone, followed by a short film illustrating an ordinary conflict between a child with sickle cell anemia, his family and friends. In the film the child with sickle cell anemia wanted to be normal like the other children and play as one of them, while his parents were anxious for their son's health.

Chief Physician, Marit Hellebostad Children Dept. Ullevål Hospital gave a clear lecture on what sickle cell anemia is, and on how it is for children and young people to have a rare disease in Norway. She has as good experience and knowledge on sickle cell disease than most doctors in Norway and has processed many children with sickle cell anemia.

Hellebostad also talked about the status on research, which unfortunately could have been better here in Norway. Fortunately, research is done more in countries with a larger proportion of people with African background as the United States, Great Britain and France.

Marit Hellebostad also asked and answered questions from the seminar attendees and there were a number of questions linked to how this disease works and on what one can do to improve the health of those that are afflicted with the disease. She emphasied that, it is important for the afflicted to keep warm during winter/cold periods, to prevent their veins from contracting together and to suppliment with omega3. Omega3 smoothens and makes the blood cells more elastic which prevents them from clumping together. She further stressed that, it is especially important for dark-skinned people to supplement with Omega3 during winter, due to the fact that they have a lack of D -vitamin during winter and Omega3 comprises this.

Physician/Psychologist, Ajmal Hussain had lectures on how the mental health of children and young people with chronic diseases such as sickle cell anemia, their experiences on how it is to be chronically ill with an "invisible" disease and on how it is to have a high absence from school. He also talked about how having a rare illness in a foreign country may affect the mental condition of a patient.

Both Benter Adiambo Ombwayo (right) and Agatha Oiginere who are respectively mother and sister to sicklers concluded by talking about their experiences. Benter who has three children with sickle cell disease, urged people to be better in getting themselves tested. She was not aware that she and her husband were carriers of the disease before they got sick children.

The seminar was completed earlier than planned because Dr. Jane W. Ogosu from England could not make i t at the last minute, but it was a very successful seminar and NSCAO aspires to be able to do this more often.

NSCAO extends their gratitude to EMI (Enhet for Mangfold og Integrering), PAWA (Panafrican Women's Association) and FOKUS (Forum for Women and Development) for their cooperation.