Air Force captain battles sickle-cell

Published Jan. 31, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Madelyn Ottem
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Before Capt. Lukiah Mulumba, 60th Inpatient Squadron resident nurse, joined the Air Force, she was a young mother originally from Uganda. When her infant daughter, Mariam Carol Mulumba, was three days old Mulumba received a letter from the hospital stating that Carol was not expected to live past 10 years due to her sickle-cell disease.

"I had to find a job that could provide insurance for all of my daughter's medical expenses," Mulumba said. "The Air Force helped me get stationed at bases with hospitals that specialized in the bone marrow and blood transplants that Carol needed."

Mulumba began her humanitarian journey to provide aid and raise awareness to Ugandan children afflicted with sickle-cell anemia disease after the Air Force supported her through her personal tribulations of having a child born with the disease.

Since Mulumba joined the Air Force, Carol has undergone numerous blood transplants and one significant bone marrow transfusion from her younger brother, Mark. After 10 years of a string of medications and living in and out of hospitals, the transfusion successfully eliminated the disease from her body.

"Carol's medical bills have been upwards of $200,000, and the Air Force has paid for all of that," Mulumba said.

Not only did the Air Force relieve Mulumba of medical expenses, her units and squadrons were consistent in making sure of Mulumba's well being.

"The Air Force is a beautiful family," Mulumba said. "My co-workers were always asking if I needed to talk and I always had the Air Force chaplain and psychologist available to reach out to me," she said.

"One day in 2005, I realized that I was so fortunate that my daughter was born in the United States because she is able to access the latest medical interventions in sickle cell disease management known to any man in the world," Mulumba said. "At the same time, I was so saddened to learn that sickle cell disease in Uganda was a forgotten enemy. I realized I had to do something."

Mulumba's dedication to the awareness and medical treatment of sickle-cell disease for those it was not available to resulted in the opening of a nonprofit organization called the Uganda-American Sickle Cell Rescue Fund.

"Following my visit to Uganda in 2008, I was surprised to find the clinic in a deplorable situation," Mulumba said. "The dilapidated building was made of plywood with mold and fungi growing in the crevices. There was no electricity, no running water and most certainly no political will to change the status quo."

With the help of donations and raised awareness from the fund, the government of Uganda donated money to construct the current sickle-cell center.

In December 2011, Mulumba made another trip to Uganda to host a holiday party for children afflicted with sickle-cell disease.

"There were about 300 children in attendance," Mulumba said. "Some came from the inpatient hospital and others came from miles away."

Plans for a new sickle-cell clinic that will have the capability to reach patients in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, are in the works. Five acres of land were donated for the clinic and Mulumba has the opportunity to create plans for the structure and architecture of the building.

I would not have been able to help so many other people if the Air Force had not been helping me since the beginning, Mulumba said."I feel quite blessed to be part of the U.S. Air Force, the most technologically advanced and professional fighting machine in the world. I am proud to serve my country, America and give back to America for what it has enabled me to be today."