Liberation, Cell by Cell

This September, join us for Liberation, Cell by Cell, a series of free community workshops taking place throughout Sickle Cell Awareness Month 2026.

Delivered by Jael A'sa from Cell Based Nutrition, the programme brings together nutrition, wellbeing, chronic pain and fatigue management, and self-advocacy in a supportive community setting. This workshop is supported by COAG Comics and Give Blood.

These workshops are designed for everyone who wants to better understand nutrition and everyday wellbeing practices with tailored support for people living with sickle cell or people with with chronic pain or fatigue. We are happy for people to bring along family members, carers.

The sessions take a culturally tailored approach, recognising that our food, lifestyles and experiences of healthcare are not one-size-fits-all.

All four workshops will take place at:

Enfield Town Library
Sundays, 1:00pm-3:00pm

You are welcome to attend the full series or book the individual workshops most relevant to you.

Start the month by getting to know your body.

This introductory workshop explores what may be happening at a cellular level when experiencing chronic pain, fatigue and sickle cell, including the role of inflammation and energy depletion.

We'll explore common triggers and factors that can affect symptoms, including weather, stress, dehydration, poor sleep and hormonal cycles, as well as how sleep, light and meal timing can influence energy and recovery.

You'll also create a Health Diary, identify some of your own potential triggers and choose a simple wellbeing habit to trial throughout September.

How can we nourish our bodies without abandoning the foods and cultures we love?

This practical nutrition session explores anti-inflammatory eating using culturally familiar Caribbean, West African and South Asian foods, from plantain and callaloo to okra, legumes, oily fish and ground provisions.

We'll look at hydration, gut health, nutrients that support energy production and simple naturopathic approaches including heat, magnesium and herbal teas.

You'll learn how to create your own Supportive Eating Plate, identify foods that may support or trigger your symptoms, and explore realistic, low-energy approaches to preparing nutritious food on difficult days.

This workshop focuses on iron, haemoglobin and building healthy blood.

We'll explore the difference between ferritin and haemoglobin, why some people experience low iron and why potential blood donors can sometimes be deferred because of low haemoglobin.

You'll learn about iron-rich culturally familiar foods, how vitamin C can support iron absorption, how tea and coffee can affect it, and the impact of menstrual blood loss.

The session will also introduce a realistic 12-week donor-ready nutrition pathway, helping people who have previously been deferred understand practical steps they can take before trying again.

We finish the month by looking beyond food to explore rest, stress, resilience and self-advocacy.

We'll explore how stress can contribute to pain and fatigue, practise a nervous-system regulation technique and look at ways to create a healthier evening and sleep routine.

We'll then turn to navigating healthcare: how to communicate your needs confidently, challenge dismissive treatment and better understand your rights as a patient.

You'll finish the programme by creating your own Personal Wellness Blueprint, bringing together your triggers, supportive foods, self-care practices and advocacy tools into something you can continue using beyond September.

Sickle Cell Awareness Month is an opportunity not only to raise awareness, but to give people practical tools they can use in their everyday lives.

Through Liberation, Cell by Cell, we want people living with pain and fatigue to leave September feeling more informed about their bodies, more confident navigating their health and equipped with realistic strategies that reflect their lives, cultures and communities.

Healthy refreshments and take-home resources will be available at every session.

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Enfield Town Library, 66 Church Street, Enfield, United Kingdom

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