Romano Kock, 19, is a young man who will not let circumstances deter him from being of service to his community.
As part of the YMCA Cape Flats team, Romano is involved and invested in his community and has conducted many leadership camps with his mentor and leader Alvina Spike, the co-ordinator and team leader at YMCA Cape Flats, in their efforts to equip other young people to be great leaders against all odds.
In January 2010 Romano suffered kidney failure, and spent nine months in hospital. “When I was younger I experimented with recreational substances,” he said. But even before that, he had been in and out of hospital with health issues. “I was a sick child. I was the outcast in my community because of my condition,” said Romano.
“When I was 11, there was nothing wrong with me. Went on holiday and later realised I was sick. I was not able to eat or use the toilet as often as I would have liked. I had to be dead already because of my body being in an unstable condition,” he said.
His mother Cynthia Louw took up the story. “When Romano was 11 he was diagnosed with kidney failure,” she told the Plainsman.
“It was a tough time for the family, especially me. I couldn’t bear seeing my son lying at the hospital. But with our great faith we managed to survive this period of his life. I realised I had to be strong when I saw him cope with this and handle his kidney failure with the perseverance to survive it.”
While Romano did not need to have his kidneys removed or replaced, he is still on chronic medication and has to have regular check-ups, but has the full function of his kidneys.
Ms Louw encourages parents to stick with their children through the tough times. “This was something he had to go through. He will come out strong on the other side,” said Ms Louw.
During the times Romano missed school – often up to three times a week – his work was emailed to him. He did his matric year at Beacon Hill High School in Beacon Valley this year and is very excited to have been accepted into the 2019 Young Advocates for Change (YAC) internship programme in 2019.
He was selected through the Cape Flats YMCA Local Action Group (LAG) programme.
“He has come a long way,” said Ms Spike. “The first time I met him, he was very outspoken. Despite all the challenges, he has experienced, he remained resilient throughout. I can count on him. When I need him he is there and willing to help. I am honoured to mentor him and have him on my side.”
“My kidney failure allowed me to not doubt myself, and I believed I would survive this,” Romano said.
“If you live on the Cape Flats, it’s so easy to give up, joining gangs and doing everything we are not supposed to but I chose not to.
“Me encouraging other young people is important. What we go through in life, may seem like the end at times but we need to remain positive throughout in order for us to keep going. I have been at my lowest and I have seen death but this allowed me to look at life with new eyes by encouraging young people with my story,” said Romano.