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My name is Tawananyasha Bisalomu and l am a boy aged 16.

I live in Harare and I am a first born son in a family of three.

Our tribe is said to be from Zambia but my father grew up in Chinhoyi.

I go to Cornelius Hope Academy Secondary School in Harare. 

I grew up with the pride of being a first born son, because I really wanted to make my parents proud but I could do little to make them proud because my health wasn’t stable.

I had severe pains on and off for some time.

This life pattern affected me, l began to lose my best performance in the class. 

I grew up knowing that I could just experience pains anytime, but my family and I didn’t know what the problem was. I began to get used to the life pattern and never gave up.

Now the time had ticked off to March 20, 2020 when I got into a painful crisis like l use to do. 

My parents decided to take me to our family doctor in Mvurwi.

Upon arrival, the doctor worked so hard until he suggested that l should get tested for sickle cell anaemia.

Doom! 

The doctor was right, l was positive for sickle cell anaemia.

It took me a while to understand that I was had sickle cell anaemia for l had many expectations.

Living with this condition was really hard for me because since then I have never walked properly. Some of the people in the community even made fun of me because of my condition.

I began to feel bad and sorry for myself for l was emotionally hurt.

All this never dragged me down, l still believed in myself that I would one day live a normal life and giving up was never an option because someone else out there would have perished if I had gave up.

l struggled but I always remembered my commitment to myself that I will live a life that will keep someone going.

At the beginning of this year, I kicked off with the severe sickle cell crisis.

The pains attacked me mercilessly, but to my surprise, l could resist and recover. 

Since then I had my own expectations, l even looked forward to the happiness l wanted to bring into the family by doing well in all my exams.

l was really looking forward to an opportunity to fulfil my dreams and aspirations. 

After having all my yearly goals written down and set, l suddenly received a big slap in the face.

It was a big hurdle for me as the  painful cycle began again. 

I thought I would go over  the pains like l used to do.

But this time the pain lasted for about five good months. When I realized that the pain was persistent,  I convinced my parents to take me to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

At Parirenyatwal, the doctors really worked hard to put me on the road to recovery again.

The doctors battled to find what was going on with my health because the disease brought me into the situation that I find myself in. 

Now it’s been six months in hospital,  and I can’t even walk.

 After all this, l told myself that giving up is never an option. 

It might be going through a difficult time, but maybe it’s what I need to motivate someone out there. 

No one can choose to live a life of tears and pain, everyone needs a rainbow, but you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain.

Don’t give up in life, all things come to an end

PS: We wish the writer Get Well Soon.  Surprisingly, Tawananyasha contacted us, saying that he want to share his story in the press to motivate others with different conditions and in situations. He said was very happy always reading Saturday Herald Lifestyle Youth Interactive section everyday.