Young author retells his tuberculosis tale
Diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) as a toddler, 12-year-old soccer lover Bokang Phiri has penned his first book.
Diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) as a toddler, 12-year-old soccer lover Bokang Phiri has penned his first book.
Also read: World Tuberculosis Day: TB and children
Titled Yami and The Ball, Bokang hopes to inspire children of all ages to persevere no matter what they face. The story tells the tale of a young boy who contracts and recovers from a highly contagious respiratory disease. Grounded in his faith in God, Bokang states his great pleasure to share this new ambition with my beautiful country. Yami and The Ball will be launched on April 22 and the Phiri family answers a few questions in preparation for the big day.
Also read: Childhood TB: Separating fact from fiction
Q: Do you remember how you felt when you were told you had TB?
A: “The reason why I wrote about it was that I saw the photos of myself when I was young. In one photo I was at the hospital and that is when the questions started. My parents explained to me that I was diagnosed with TB and I started to research the disease and finally write about it.”
Q. How did your parents feel when you were diagnosed with TB?
A. Neo, Bokang’s mother, answered “It was very scary news because all you think was how did he get it? Nobody in our family had it and even today we still don’t know how.” Thato added, “It was not a good feeling at all. Looking at him lying in bed with an oxygen mask was the most painful moment.”
Q. What other long-term goals do you have?
A. “I want to become a professional soccer player and I want to become the youngest author and publisher of children’s books. I would like to make a difference in my community by helping and encouraging young children to read books, get educated and be creative in what they are good at doing. I also want to see the character Yami be on screens or in cartoons so that we can embrace our talents.”
Q. What do you love about soccer?
A: “It gives me the feeling of joy and passion, and you learn a lot by interacting with your teammates. It brings people together like my mom and my dad when we drive together to my soccer match.”
