Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon

An exploration of care for people in sickle cell crises — imagined in a parallel universe.

Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon

An exploration of care for people in sickle cell crises — imagined in a parallel universe.

Written by Mojisola Adebayo, directed by Gail Babb, and produced by the Sickle Cell Theatre Collective in association with Tamasha.

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Bro sits on a metal hospital chair, in a windowless A&E. It feels as though a thousand tiny hammers are banging inside his bones.

Above, Sis pilots the Starship Wellness. She's on a rescue mission but she can't find her brother, can't see him anywhere.

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Crescent Cell, Sickle Moon is a powerful and imaginative invitation to healthcare professionals, people living with sickle cell, and the wider public to reflect on what compassionate, effective hospital care could look like for people experiencing sickle cell crises.

Drawing on research from the Exploring Practices of Care (EPOC4) study and co-created with people living with sickle cell, a haematologist, and theatre makers, the play explores urgent questions about pain, trust, and care in our health systems.

Through an immersive and creative approach, the production explores key themes of pain, trust, and care within health systems, and challenges us to imagine what good care could truly look like.

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We are pleased to invite you to this special event bringing together the sickle cell community across South East London. Using theatre as a starting point, the session will focus on lived experience, shared learning, and strengthening how we work together across the system.

The performance will last approximately 30 minutes and will be followed by an interactive discussion.

Together, we will:

• Strengthen understanding of the lived experience of sickle cell
• Reflect on what good care looks like and how it can be improved
• Create space for open and honest discussion between patients, families, and professionals
• Support ongoing partnership working across South East London

We warmly welcome:

• People living with sickle cell
• Carers and family members
• Voluntary and community organisations
• NHS and clinical staff
• Local authority and ICB colleagues

Food and refreshments will be provided.

This work is supported using public funding from Arts Council England, the Wellcome Trust, Queen Mary University of London, the Curriers Millennium Healthcare Bursary and HaemSTAR. The event is hosted by South East London ICB in collaboration with the Sickle Cell Society and South East London and South East Haemoglobinopathy Coordinating Centre.

Content warning: References to racism, sickle cell crises, and challenging hospital experiences