Conversations on Women's Health

For many women, period pain is something you learn to live with. But what happens when your period pain clashes with sickle cell pain?In this episode, sickle cell warrior and advocate Benedicta Sewoenam Korkor shares what it's like to manage sickle cell disease and her period at the same time: getting her first period at 18, how she tells period cramps apart from a sickle cell crisis, the day her cramps took over a meeting with her boss, what helps her pain, and how faith, family and her church carry her through.We also talk about menstrual suppression, what she wants every teenage girl with sickle cell to know, how carers can help during a crisis, and why sickle cell awareness should not be left to warriors alone.CHAPTERS 00:00 Cramps or crisis?05:13 Meet Benedicta08:48 Her first period, at 1810:28 Why sickle cell delays puberty11:55 Nobody explained the link14:48 What people without sickle cell don't understand16:38 What a sickle cell crisis feels like18:20 Cramps or crisis? How she tells them apart20:10 No two warriors are the same20:54 What helps her pain22:27 Planning life around her period24:01 The day cramps took over a work meeting26:07 Family support29:06 Low blood count and light periods30:57 Faith in the middle of pain35:23 Her church family37:01 What is menstrual suppression?42:23 Advice for teenage girls with sickle cell44:37 How to help someone in a crisis46:28 Why we need to make noise about sickle cell50:12 Closing thoughtsABOUT BENEDICTA: Benedicta is a sickle cell warrior and advocate, biochemist, content creator and YouTuber, and the founder of the awareness brand Sickle With Christ. Follow her: https://www.instagram.com/sickled_wit... ABOUT CONVERSATIONS ON WOMEN'S HEALTH: Conversations on Women's Health is an evidence-based health literacy movement: honest, safe-space conversations about the women's health topics people don't talk about enough. Subscribe for new episodes:    / @conversationsonwomenshealth   Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/conversatio...IF YOU NEED SUPPORT: This episode includes a frank conversation about pain and moments of suicidal thoughts. If you are struggling, please reach out. In Ghana, call the Mental Health Authority's free, confidential helpline: 0800 678 678. In an emergency, call 112. Outside Ghana, contact your local emergency number or crisis line.DISCLAIMER This episode shares lived experience and is for educational purposes only. It is not personal medical advice. Please speak to your doctor about your own health.#SickleCell #PeriodPain #WomensHealth