Veteran Nollywood actress and evangelist, Eucharia Anunobi, has opened up on the painful experience of losing her son after years of battling sickle cell disease.
Speaking during an appearance on the Honest Brunch Podcast, the actress reflected on her journey as a mother caring for a child born with the SS genotype.
According to Anunobi, the struggle began when her son fell ill shortly before his first birthday and medical tests revealed he had sickle cell disease.
Tearfully she said, “Just before my son was one year old, he fell ill and I took him to the hospital. They checked his genotype and said he was SS, and there started the battle of my life.”
The actress explained that she immediately began searching for ways to manage the condition, studying everything she could about caring for a child living with sickle cell disorder.
“I started going everywhere. I started looking for medication, reading about herbs and studying everything about what it means to take care of an SS child.”
Eucharia Anunobi noted that she had to learn strict lifestyle precautions to protect her son’s health.
“I started understanding that they can’t stay where there is dust or where there is heat. My son never drank pure water,” she added.
Despite the challenges, the actress described the years she spent raising her son as one of the most fulfilling periods of her life.
“I’m grateful that God gave me the opportunity to be a mother. The joy of having nurtured a child for 16 years, six months and 22 days — those years were one of the most glorious years of my life,” she said.
Anunobi added that the experience strengthened her faith and deepened her relationship with God.
She said, “I’m grateful to God for making me a mother, and I learnt so much in the course of taking care of him. It deepened my relationship with God.”