THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “I was constantly taunted by my classmates for my wet pants. I had no friends and I was cornered," says 18-year-old Syam Kumar SS who has survived 13 surgeries. However, none of these stood in the way of him becoming an adventurer. He has three kidneys but there's only 25 per cent functionality.
"My right leg was stuck to my buttocks during my birth. In spite of three surgical attempts, the doctors were unable to rectify it and I had it amputated at the age of eight. I also had a boil on my backbone," says Syam.
However, he wasn't ready to get bogged down by these disabilities. Today, Syam, hailing from ilappilsala, is a downhill rider, swimmer and a clay modeller. He often goes trekking at nearby 'Nadukanipara' which is also his favourite cycling destination.
He has participated in district-level clay modelling competitions. too. "I wasn't active in extracurricular activities till my Class 10. I happened to see the videos of Nick Vujicic and got motivated to do something distinctive," he said.
At the age of 16, Syam has a small bladder with the capacity of a two-year-old child. It was later expanded to hold 500 ml urine after surgery at St John's Hospital in Bengaluru. "I'll have to do 'Clean intermittent catheterization' (CIC) every two hours. It is difficult when I go cycling," he added.
His future plans are clear too. "I want to climb Mount Everest, take the Ironman challenge and want to take part in Himalayan cycling," he says.
Indomitable spirit
Syam is a downhill rider, swimmer and a clay modeller. He often goes trekking at nearby 'Nadukanipara' which is also his favourite cycling destination.