San Francisco 49ers running back Tevin Coleman may face plenty of competition on the field, but he's grappling with an even tougher challenge at home: his daughter's sickle cell disease. In a new interview, the NFL father of two shared how the diagnosis has been impacting his 5-year-old girl, as he looks to raise awareness for the condition, which affects African Americans and people of African ancestry at elevated rates.
Tevin and his wife have partnered with Pfizer to help spread the word
The football star talked to People about his daughter Nazaneen's surprising diagnosis. Tevin shared how both he and wife Akilah Coleman had always known they were carriers of the blood disorder, but they didn't find out that their little girl had it until she was 4 months old. (Fortunately, Nazaneen's twin brother, Nezerah, does not have the disease.)
Sickle cell primarily affects African Americans and people of African ancestry. Tevin's parents are both from Liberia.
The worried parents wanted to keep the diagnosis private at first
"I just wanted to protect my daughter when I first learned she had it," Tevin explained. "I wanted to protect her — from the public, from everybody. So that's why I didn't say anything at first."
Then, shortly after Nazaneen's fifth birthday, Tevin realized he wanted to teach his daughter that there was no reason to hide what's been going on with her health. And he realized her story could help others.
Tevin also needs to make sure his daughter knows what to watch out for
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell is an inherited condition where the red blood cells can die or become stuck, causing complications including infection, stroke, and more.
"She's only 5, so we haven't gotten to the point where I've actually explained to her what her body is going through, but I have let her know that it's just really important to always tell Mommy — whatever you're feeling, whatever you're going through, tell Mommy," Akilah said.
Both mom and dad make sure Nazaneen isn't scared by her health problems
It may sound like a lot for a 5-year-old to deal with, but Akilah has found a nonthreatening way to make sure her daughter is taking good care of her health.
"I'll just say, 'OK, we're gonna have a spa day.' I'll massage her legs and do a mani-pedi, kind of rub her feet and get some of that circulation going because the one thing I don't want to do is put too much fear in her," the proud mama explained.
Even Nazaneen's little brother has taken on some of her care
Doting on Nazaneen has become a family affair. "It's almost as if he knows. He'll just bring her a blanket or water," Akilah said of her son.
It's clear that the entire Coleman family is looking out for Nazaneen. Hopefully she continues to stay healthy and learns to manage her symptoms on her own as she grows. It's looks like she's got a great support system — she's one lucky kid!
