Media Personality Cynthia Tima Yeboah, known as Tima Kumkum, recently revealed a terrifying encounter with death during her pregnancy due to complications from G6PD deficiency.
The media personality shared her journey of ignorance about this condition for 25 years, leading to various health struggles until her pregnancy with her son, Jayden.
Unaware of the risks posed by certain medications, Tima faced a critical situation after contracting an infection during her pregnancy.
Initially dismissing symptoms as common, she eventually faced a life-threatening situation that necessitated emergency surgery to save both her and her baby.
“During my 3rd trimester around almost 40 weeks, I had infection so I went to visit my midwife and she gave me medicine in the afternoon only for me to start bleeding in the night. I was quickly rushed to the hospital and unfortunately pharmacies were on strike then so they kept referring me from Korle-Bu to 37 then finally to Ridge hospital. The doctor told us that if I’m not rushed to a private hospital, I might lose my life and that of the baby because all government hospitals can’t do a CS and my condition required one. I was rushed to Lapaz Community hospital and within a few minutes Jayden came out.”
The harrowing experience prompted Tima to highlight the importance of G6PD awareness and education.
“I realized I almost caused my own death but thank God I was saved last minute. How I survived for the past 25 years of my life without knowing I had the defect and was taking sulfur-based medications and using sulfur-based stuff in my daily life is just a miracle” Tima recounted.
She emphasised the need for testing and understanding the implications of this deficiency, which inspired her to establish the Tima Kumkum Foundation, dedicated to supporting affected individuals and raising awareness about G6PD deficiency.
According to the CLeveland Clinic definition, G6PD is a genetic disorder that happens when your body doesn’t have enough glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) enzyme.
G6PD helps red blood cells work and protects them from harmful substances. G6PD can cause a life-threatening hemolytic anaemia that requires blood transfusions.