“I will not let Haemophilia take over my life” says a Student

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@LindokuhleMnisi

To some it is embarrassing to publicly disclose one’s self health condition. The fear of being isolated, insulted, criticised and judged is the reason why many people find it difficult to speak out about their health status. But all that didn’t prohibit Paseka Menyau from speaking out about his haemophilia condition.

Menyau (22), a 2nd year journalism student, has been living with this rare disease (haemophilia) for his entire life. He encountered countless life threatening situation which resulted to him being hospitalized. “I was once in a life threatening situation in 2002 when I got involved in a gang attack. My head was hit with a stick and I had headache for two weeks. I got admitted in ICU but luckily they didn’t perform operation,” he said.

“I had a problem with my left knee. I was playing soccer and I got injured. It started swelling spontaneously. I would take my medication and after a certain time it would start swelling again,” he added.

Menyau joined the South African Haemophilia Foundation (Central Region) in 2011 and has been a vocal member since then. He has been addressing various organized meetings regarding this condition. On the 16th April he was interviewed on TV, 3Talk with Noeleen on SABC3, and on the 17th April (World Haemophilia Day) he was addressing people at the StiveBiko Academic Hospital. Other meetings that he is invited to address is in Polokwane Provincial Hospital and Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa.

Around September he invited to visit America but details are still to be confirmed.

On TUT-FM (Live@6) he spoke about some of the challenges that haemophilia patients faces due to the lack of knowledge about the condition in townships. “People think if you have haemophilia you will die. People start treating you differently like you are really disabled and dying in 2days,” he said.

“Haemophilia may be dangerous but if you take your medication correctly you won’t suffer,” Menyau warns.

Many people doesn’t know what haemophilia is, this is the definition

Haemophilia:

An inheritable disease, usually affecting only males but transmitted by women to their male children, characterized by loss or impairment of the normal clotting ability of blood so that a minor wound may result in fatal bleeding.