It wasn’t long after his birth that Emmanuel Boakye’s parents knew something was very wrong with their little boy. “I would cry to the point where the neighbours would come knocking,” says Emmanuel, who grew up in Richmond Hill, Ont. “When I was 18 months old, my fingers and toes got swollen and they […]
My name is Emmanuel Boakye. I was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia at the age of 3 months. My parents, young Ghanaian immigrants seeking a better life, had traveled to Canada, a country renowned for its top-notch healthcare system. I’ve lived in and out of hospitals, repeatedly overcoming my Sickle Cell battles. On March 4, […]
My journey with sickle cell disease began when I was just three months old. As the child of Ghanaian immigrants seeking better healthcare in Canada, I grew up in and out of hospitals, continuously battling the challenges of my condition. On March 4, 2019, I faced one of the most severe crises of my life. […]
Emmanuel Boakye knows how serious a sickle cell crisis can be. He nearly died from one. At 28, he was suddenly struck by an excruciating pain in his chest. He lost his ability to walk before falling into a coma. Three weeks later, Emmanuel woke up in Toronto General’s ICU, where the care team saved […]
In March 2019, Emmanuel Boakye was preparing for family trip when he experienced the most severe sickle cell episode of his life. At three months old, he was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease, an inherited disorder of the red blood cells that disproportionately impacts Black people. Sickle Cell Disease limits the blood’s ability to carry […]
The Lakeside Hoops tournament on September 10, 2023, was a thrilling showcase of talent and community spirit at the Oak Ridges Community Outdoor Basketball Court. With 40 youth participants and 60 engaged community members, the event created an electric atmosphere. After intense competition in the round-robin tournament, Goodfellaz and Torch 7 emerged as the standout […]
Lace up and get ready as Rise Above GTA and Lakeside Hoops gear up for their thrilling third year showdown. The action unfolds at Lake Wilcox Park’s splash pad basketball court – where the game’s energy meets the glistening water, creating a spectacle that’s more than just a match. It’s a clash of skills and […]
This year’s 2nd annual Lakeside Hoops tournament was a huge success! The young Men at Lakeside Hoops would like to take this moment to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the participants, volunteers, spectators, the town of Richmond Hill, and lastly the generous sponsors. September was Sickle Cell Awareness Month and this year we […]
This year’s 2nd annual Lakeside Hoops Tournament was a huge success! With the upward trend of basketball, fuelled by the Toronto Raptors and more Canadian athletes making a mark in the NBA draft pick, Toronto is quickly becoming a basketball city. With that being said, the streetball scene is also rapidly becoming one of the […]
What a time we had at the maiden edition of Lakeside Hoops Tournament as teams went head to head for the number one spot.
Here are some video recap of how the day went. Enjoy!