Tobi Okunseinde, a five-year-old living in Haworth, received a bone marrow transplant that cured his sickle cell disease. The family consulted the team at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital. Dr. Alfred Gillio, director of the Children’s Cancer Institute was able to direct a proper treatment plan for Tobi and restore him to a healthy lifestyle.
While visiting NJ family on vacation, Tobi received care for a painful episode related to his sickle cell condition at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and learned of future treatment options. The family moved from London to New Jersey in hopes for the suggested treatment option to fully cure Tobi, landing them in Haworth. Folu & Akua Okunseinde are originally from New Jersey, and had so much support from the now close family, friends, Tobi’s school, and through faith they got through the tough treatment process. He received a transplant from his brother and in August of 2022 was declared cured.
Now that Tobi is cured, the family wants to give back and inform others of their options who have sickle cell disease. They have set up donations to fund a nursing position at the hospital who will be in charge of helping to inform and navigate patients through the treatment process for those with sickle cell disease. The new position would help provide a roadmap for families to plan a cure for their children and would cure more people in a year than ever before.
