‘Nothing will stop me from climbing Mt Everest’

KOCHI: Eighteen-year-old Syam Kumar SS does not see his right amputated leg as a hindrance in chasing his dreams. He sees it as a challenge. “I will climb Mount Everest and no disability will stop me,” he says. Known among the art lovers of the city for his participation in cultural activities at Manaveeyam Veedhi, Syam is part of events that stand for a social cause. A few months ago, he had participated in ‘Save Alappad’ cycle rally organised by students of College of Engineering Trivandrum. As part of this, he travelled a distance of 230 km within 12 hours on a cycle.

For Syam, travelling motivates and helps explore new places. “Cycling keeps me alive,” he said. He has travelled solo to Chittar Dam, Chittipara, Neyyar Dam, Ponmudi hilltop, Kallar, Kurisumala and almost all beaches in the district from Vilappilsala.

Though his treatment process does not favour constant travel, Syam takes extra efforts to travel. Even after surgeries, not a day in his life goes by without cycling. His father Sreekumar K works for daily wage and mother Saralakumari is a homemaker. “She used to teach art at a private school but left her job to look after me,” he says.

Syam has appeared for 13 surgeries in a time span of 18 years. He underwent his first surgery when he was just 19 days old for enlarged right kidney. Later, he underwent surgeries for backbone and to rectify the right leg which was stuck to the vertebral column. He is waiting for his fistula surgery in three weeks.
Syam had a small bladder with the capacity of a two-year-old child. The issue was rectified when he was 16 but he needs to undergo ‘Clean Intermittent Catheterization’ at regular intervals which is a hindrance for him to travel. Remembering one of the horrible incidents that had happened in school, Syam says, “I had no friends and I was always taunted by my friends for wet clothes. But I had my sister by my side as constant support. These incidents made me strong.”

Syam wasn’t active in extracurricular activities till Class X. It was after seeing the videos of Nick Vujicic, who was born with tetra-amelia syndrome which is a rare disorder characterised by the absence of arms and legs, that inspired him to survive the bullying. “Later, I participated in clay modelling, learnt to swim and became active in cycling,” he said. Syam who has finished his Class XII is hoping to major in psychology or philosophy.