Sharing my story as a person living with sickle cell disease and amplifying the voices of others has consistently been a deeply personal journey for me. Which is why I was excited to visit Theatre Peckham this October, where cast members from Netflix’s hit show Supacell gathered for an event aimed at young creatives to learn more about this condition.
The evening was centred on the south London community that Supacell is based on and was part of Theatre Peckham’s 2024 Young, Gifted, and Black programme. This event did more than showcase talent because it also sparked conversations that often don’t get the spotlight they deserve. For me, it served as a powerful reminder of why representation matters—especially in a world that so often overlooks our narratives.
Educational workshops were chaired by Supacell director, Sebastian Thiel and actor, Michael Salami. After the workshops was the main panel discussion. We all listened to Dialectic Dee’s heart clenching poem before the discussions kicked off and it truly set the tone for the night ahead. You could feel the excitement in the room when Mickira Oji (Skreamer), Xavien Russell (Dotz), Akai Coleman (Tiny), Andy Thompson (Twosie) and Ky-Marni Carty (AJ, Andre’s Son) came on stage. During the night, we listened to their stories about how they were cast on the show. From listening to them, it was clear to me that all creatives have opportunities with their names on them, it's just a matter of time.
What tied this panel together was the education we received about sickle cell from John James, CEO of the Sickle Cell Society and the behind the scenes industry knowledge from Iyare Igiehon, Creative Diversity Partner at the BBC, and Simone Pennant, founder of The TV Collective. The conversation was guided by clips from the show and our host of the evening was Annika Allen Gray – Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, All3Media, Co-Founder of the Black Magic Awards & Black Leaders in TV. With her firsthand experience living with the condition, she approached the topic in a profoundly inspiring way. People in the crowd included Dame Elizabeth Anionwu and I was beyond excited to sit with Jenica Leah, President of the European Sickle Cell Federation and Alvin Ikenwe, who is a sickle cell advocate and actor who was also featured on the show.
To understand why this event was so special, you have to look at the statistics. Sickle cell disease affects over 100 million people globally, and around 17,000 people in the UK alone. Yet, the representation of this condition has long been lacking in media and public discourse. Supacell is one of the biggest shows out this year that has shifted that, bringing sickle cell to the forefront of a superhero narrative in a way that resonates with viewers who may otherwise never have encountered the reality of living with this disease.
Ethnically matched blood was one of the topics touched on by John James during the panel and is crucial for people with sickle cell disease. He noted that there historically hasn't been enough Black blood donors and this shortage can make it difficult for patients to receive the best-matched blood, which is needed to avoid complications. Before the event started, a volunteer called Brenda from Give Blood Spread Love, shared with me that she had been donating blood for years and had just made her 50th donation. Despite my years of advocating for more Black blood donors, I rarely meet people who have been donating for so long. This was a key topic of discussion during the panel and something some of the cast had only come to fully understand while working on Supacell, as revealed on the panel. I felt so much gratitude towards Brenda and others who attended, recognising the effort they have put in to help people like me live well with this condition.
Supacell had quite a lot of research about sickle cell on the show from the topics covered. The Sickle Cell Society had been working with Netflix and Rapman from the very beginning to ensure there was no misrepresentation. People often don't notice these things but they make a big difference in how accurate, respectful, and believable a story is. The level of care and detail reminded me of when a friend of mine realised I was the sickle cell consultant for BBC Three’s Grime Kids. He was completely blown away by how much work goes into making a character seem real.
I spoke to one of the panellists, Iyare Igiehon about the stigma that comes with sickle cell in the black community but noted that shows and events like this help to break down the barriers for better understanding. He made such an important point but followed on by saying “The other thing is the power of representation, the power of seeing yourself, and the difference that that can make. So somewhere across the UK, across the world, there's someone who's looking at Supercell, and that's the show that's going to spark their career, their thing.”
His words were a reminder that representation isn't just about visibility; it’s about creating pathways for those who come after us, inspiring confidence and breaking down limiting stereotypes. Events like these move us closer to a world where everyone, regardless of their challenges, can feel seen, heard, and valued. Perhaps, as Iyare said, someone watching today will be totally inspired to continue the work of pushing boundaries for the generations to come.
For more information about sickle cell and how you can help by donating blood, visit [Sickle Cell Society] (www.sicklecellsociety.org). And to learn more about the incredible work being done at Theatre Peckham, check out their upcoming events at [Theatre Peckham] (www.theatrepeckham.co.uk).
Opmerkingen