Adekunle Gold opens up about struggle with sickle cell anemia

Nigerian musician, Adekunle Kosoko, popularly known as Adekunle Gold has opened up about the struggles he had with his health growing up.He did this in a long letter to his fans, sharing that he was much younger he struggled with his health as he was born with sickle cell anaemia. He wrote,

“It feels liberating to finally be able to share this part of my life with you, to finally be able to speak my truth. When I talk about how I struggled to get to where I am today, I need you to know that my struggle was real. I was born with sickle cell disease. It was life and death, it was physical, mental, financial, you name it and I went through it all.”

He continued saying, “It was tough, painful and frustrating. I lived with a sickness no one around me understood, I lived with restrictions all my childhood. I wasn’t able to join some of the most minor child play and liberating activities like going out in the rain. The times when I insisted and rebelled against my parents orders and went out in the rain, I would end up having a crisis.”

Gold further stated that his health issues came at night and were painful and lonely. He spoke about his mother stating, “My mum wanted me to be well, she did her best. She took me to all the churches she could find, I’m grateful for her because she saw a future for me. A future where no illness or sickness could hold me back from my purpose. From the life I was destined to live. Sickle cell disease took away my freedom, my childhood. I lost friends, a lot of them.”

The award winning musician explained the reason he was sharing his story, stating, “I’m sharing my testimony with you because I hope that you can find strength in my truth. Some ailments hold us back but I’m thankful this hasn’t. I want to encourage you in whatever it is you’re going through, know that there is hope. You are strong and you must not give up. YOU CAN DO THIS! Victory lies at the end for you just as it did for me.

Adekunle Gold ended the long message saying, “If you know anyone going through any struggle, physical, health, mental. Be kind, show compassion. In fact be kind to everyone, you just never know what they’re dealing with privately. Be supportive, be gentle and love endlessly. If you are a sickler, know that the disease does not define you. Don’t allow it to limit your dreams or cap your potential. Spread your wings and dream big! Hope to see you soaring the big skies.”