Screening for stroke risk

This brother and sister with sickle cell disease were the first patients that I saw during my last trip to Mali and also the first to start taking the controlling medicine hydroxyurea.  They have done much better since starting the medication and traveled to the hospital today for evaluation of their risk of stroke by ultrasound of the brain.  This is a standard test in the US for sickle patients from 2 to 16 years old and when it is abnormal shows that the child has a 30% risk of stroke per year.  We were blessed to have an ultrasound machine donated for the clinic and I packed it in for this trip.  Joseph, the Malian nurse in charge of the program did a great job starting to learn how to perform the procedure.

Three brothers with sickle cell disease.

Kristen, one of the peds nurses, with Chaka who lost both legs from a severe infection.

 Adama (Burkitt lymphoma) with his green Mercedes truck

 Getting all of the TCD equipment together

 Dr. Sumila!

 Teaching Joseph the brain ultrasound technique

The baby in this picture was diagnosed with sickle cell through the screening program and then her older siblings were screened afterwards and also found to have disease as well.