Girl battling sickle cell anemia beats odds to top class with 417 marks

What makes Shantel’s performance more outstanding is the fact that she posted 417 marks despite battling sickle cell anemia for years.

She was the top in her school at St Georges Primary School, Nairobi, which had a total of 220 candidates.

Speaking during an interview at the school on Thursday, her mother Violet Lugale said her daughter has been a top performer throughout her education, despite her condition.

“As a parent I’m just happy telling God thank you for everything because it has not been easy since her childhood. She joined the school in PP2 until Class 8 and has been doing well,” she said.

She said her daughter was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia while she was five years and has been in and out of hospital ever since.

“We take her for clinics at Kenyatta National Hospital and follow medication and diet that’s recommended by the doctor,” the mother said.

She said a times, the daughter’s situation turns into a crisis, meaning her body becomes weak and is in more pain and has to be rushed to hospital.

Two days before the KCPE exam rehearsals, Shantel  got an attack and had to be taken to KNH for stabilisation.

To manage the situation, Shantel survives on medication, fruits and water.

The mother said frequent hospital visits have strained family’s finances as Shantel’s younger sister who is four-years-old also is also suffering from the same condition.

Shantel’s mother works at the school as an ECD teacher under BOM while her father is a driver.

Speaking during the interview, a smiling Shantel said she wishes to join Kenya High School.

“I feel great. I have been studying hard. I was just pushing myself and revised all the time and I made it…my parents and teachers and friends were my support team,” she said.

She said she wanted to break previous school record of top candidate who scored 427 marks some years back.

“There are times I’m sick and I have to miss some lessons which are very important and this affected the way I performed somehow,” she said.

At their house is a picture of Shantel with former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta when she graced one of the price giving ceremonies in the past.

She is calm but projects optimism and hope.

The family hopes a well wisher will chip in and help the family secure Shantel's future.

Her hobbies are art and dancing and wants to be a cardiologist in future.

“I want to study in UK or France because I feel there is better education and facilities to help me become a cardiologist. I want to help people with heart conditions and help the world, she says.

Medics say management of sickle cell anemia is aimed at avoiding attacks and preventing complications but stem cell or bone marrow transplants are the only cure for sickle cell disease.

St Georges Primary School head teacher Josephine Kivuti described Shantel as “very focused and consistent in her performance.”

“At class level, she would either be number one or two. They would have very competitive performance in her class and has been working hard. She wakes up early and was very consistent with her books and was following up with her teachers to learn more or to be directed,” Kivuti said.

Thirteen candidates scored above 400 in the school during this year’s KCPE exam.