My name is Babafemi, I usually go by Baba. I was originally born in Nigeria. I was diagnosed with sickle cell as an infant and grew up with the implications of that since. I lived in Canada for most of my childhood and moved to the U.S. to work as a computer engineer in 2023. The sickle cell symptoms have changed as I’ve grown up, and I’ve had to learn to manage and take ownership of my well-being and health care while trying to live life to the fullest. This has been thanks to the many doctors and my family that have poured into me.

Recently, I’ve felt that it would be great to contribute to the community and help others in my own way - as a fellow patient. Growing up, I didn't have much opportunity to interact with other sickle cell patients, and that may have helped me navigate the disease better especially in moments when it felt like I was alone in the struggle. OSWATS is a great opportunity for building a community in the PNW and I'm excited to be a part of it.