At 32 years old, Catherine James stands as a proud sickle cell warrior, advocate, and small business owner. A third born out of five,  narrated how she was diagnosed with sickle cell disease (SCD) at just six months old after a series of tests at the KEMRI pediatric clinic in Kilifi. Her symptoms had begun showing as early as three months, the beginning of what would become a lifelong journey of courage and determination.

“The first 20 years were the most difficult,” Catherine recalls. “I had numerous pain crises that caused constant absenteeism. But over time, I learned what to do and what not to do. For the past few years, I’ve managed to stay with little to no crisis.”

Her lived experience became the foundation of her advocacy work through teaching fellow warriors and the general public about sickle cell disease. Catherine’s mission is clear: to guide others away from the mindset of despair and to encourage acceptance and hope.

“I’m currently supporting two individuals who are still in the denial stage,” she shares. “Acceptance brings calmness. It lowers stress levels, which in turn reduces pain crises. Through warrior networks, you gain exposure and psychosocial support, which is key in managing SCD.”

Catherine has taken a firm stand against the stigma and misconceptions that still linger in her community of Kaloleni, particularly the false belief that people with SCD rarely live beyond 20 years or can’t get married.

“I’m now 32 years old and not dying anytime soon,” she says with a confident smile. “So, I don’t fit into that way of thinking.”

Beyond advocacy, Catherine is the team leader of Mombasa Women Reaching Souls, a group of 16 women who meet every month to share experiences and support one another. These meetings provide a safe space where women can open up about their challenges and find strength in unity.

However, her advocacy work also exposes her to the daily struggles of many warriors.
“When you visit some families,” she says, “parents ask how you can help them get food or medicine. Many don’t even have money to start something small for survival.”

Catherine believes advocates’ voices need to be heard more, especially in conversations with healthcare professionals across the Coast region. Greater awareness, she says, can improve how SCD patients are treated in medical settings.

“When someone is in a pain crisis and is told to wait in line, their life is at risk,” she emphasizes. “Sickle cell crises are medical emergencies and should be treated as such.”

Despite her determination, Catherine faces challenges from lack of transportation to reach remote warriors, to constant requests for medication she cannot afford to provide. Yet she keeps going, fueled by her vision of a stronger, better-supported SCD community.

Through her faith, work, and advocacy, Catherine James is not only baking bread at her small bakery; but she’s also baking hope, breaking myths, and inspiring a generation of warriors to live boldly, beyond their condition.