The Nsumba Edgar Annual Medical Camp
"People will know his name."
By Kathy Johnson
Founder and Executive Director, With Uganda
My son Robert, a medical doctor, had the original idea to organize a medical camp for the people of Nsasa, Uganda. During a planning meeting for the camp, a young doctor asked if the camp could include testing for sickle cell disease. About 15 young medical doctors, who had all committed to volunteering at the camp, began enthusiastically discussing the idea. One of them, Dr. Joseph Madaya, shared the story of their late friend, Nsumba Edgar, who passed away due to complications of sickle cell shortly after final exams in their 4th year of med school. He explained that all of Edgar’s friends had committed themselves to serving as champions for sickle cell awareness, research and treatment – in memory of Edgar’s determination to be a doctor and his warm, beautiful, signature smile. I was overcome with emotion.
A few days later, I called Edgar’s mother, Aida. After expressing my sympathies for her loss, I told her I had some ideas for ways to honor Edgar’s memory. I asked her to tell me about her son and we both cried as she shared. The most touching thing she recalled for me was the evening, shortly before Edgar passed away, when they were watching news coverage of the death of American actor Chadwick Boseman and the worldwide mourning for him. Edgar looked at his mother and said he, too, was going to die. And no one knows him. In that moment, I promised Aida we would, together, make sure people across Uganda would know Edgar.
Just as we were finishing our conversation, I received a text message from my daughter Beatrice. She’s a medical lab technician and had been soliciting donations for the upcoming medical camp. Her text said, “Mommy, someone just donated four sickle cell kits. We can test 400 people for sickle cell.” I shared the message with Aida and told her I was certain Edgar had just sent us his blessing.
At the upcoming medical camp, With Uganda will announce a medical camp to be held annually in Edgar’s honor. He never had the opportunity to serve those he so desperately wanted to heal, but his family, friends, and colleagues will ensure that The Nsumba Edgar Annual Medical Camp will serve thousands in his memory. People will know his name.
We are now planning the January 2026 camp to be held in Buvuma, Uganda, Edgar’s ancestral home and burial place. If you were moved by Edgar’s story, please consider donating and becoming a part of this project.