In this episode, host Dom Burch speaks with Dr Lewis Thomas, a former NHS GP and accredited life coach who lives with sickle cell anaemia. Lewis shares how lived experience, medical training, and coaching came together — and why social media may now be one of the most powerful tools for reaching patients the healthcare system struggles to reach.
🔥 Key Topics Covered
🩸 1) Living with sickle cell — and the fear that comes with misunderstanding
Lewis describes his first major sickle cell crisis at age 12 as “the worst pain imaginable” — but also explains how confusion and lack of understanding from others created fear and uncertainty.
🏥 2) Becoming a doctor — and ending up admitted to the hospitals he worked in
Lewis explains how junior doctor stress made his symptoms worse, leading to hospital admissions inside the very system he was training in.
🧱 3) The NHS reality: broken systems, limited time, limited resources
He shares how the system’s lack of capacity makes it difficult for clinicians to truly help — especially when conditions like sickle cell don’t fit “tick-box” patterns.
🌊 4) Post-Covid general practice: “a tsunami” of angry, exhausted patients
Lewis describes how the emotional weight of post-Covid demand wore him down over time, as patients returned with unmet needs, delayed care, and mounting frustration.
🧠 5) The turning point: discovering Flow on holiday in Greece
While on holiday, Lewis read Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi — and realised there were people who loved their work and lived in a state of purpose… and that he didn’t feel that as a GP.
💬 6) Life coaching: “holding space” and helping people change their lives
Lewis shares how coaching gave him a new model of care — one based on listening, clarity, and helping people find their own answers, not just prescribing.
📱 7) Why TikTok reached people a GP surgery never could
Lewis explains how social media enabled him to reach people with sickle cell who might never seek help through traditional routes — delivering bite-sized, trusted education directly to their phones.
🌍 8) The Sickleverse: building community, confidence, and agency
The Sickleverse brings people together globally, giving access to education, peer support, and a space that reduces the isolation many people feel living with sickle cell.
🤝 9) Trust, racism, and why partnership matters
Lewis speaks openly about mistrust in medical systems — particularly in Black communities disproportionately affected by sickle cell — and why working with credible voices and influencers can help overcome barriers.
🩺 10) Authenticity over authority
One of the most memorable insights: Lewis doesn’t need to wear a suit or a stethoscope to help people — he can show up as himself, and that’s exactly why people listen.
🔗 Links & Resources
- Join The Sickleverse: www.sickleverse.com
- Book mentioned: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi