VETERAN Nollywood actress Eucharia Anunobi has shared a heartbreaking story about how her late son’s battle with sickle cell disease impacted her personal life, career and marriage.
According to Anunobi, caring for her son, who suffered from sickle cell disease, put a significant strain on her marriage and ultimately led to its collapse.
The experience also took a toll on her acting career.
“I got married in 2000 and had a son, Raymond. From the moment I had him, my marriage began to hit the rocks. It was one hospital visit after another, one medical expense to another. The experience halted our lives and put a strain on our love. My husband blamed me for our situation and I blamed him too. I watched my son suffer. I watched my husband and I go from spouses to friends, to people who just fought and fought about medical bills and taking care of our son. Finally, in 2006, our marriage ended and I was left alone with our son. I cried a lot. It was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even pursue my acting passion any longer. Sadly, I lost my son at the age of 17.
To those in love, Eucharia advises:
“Please, know your genotype before you fall in love. Love can’t stand the pain of sickle cell.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media