Running for his life. (June Issue)

The pain that a five-year-old child experience, no one would know except the child himself, Ryan Farrington. Falling onto the floor screaming and shouting, falling down the stairs, twisting and turning on the floor. When Ryan's disease, dystonia, occurs, these would happen to him and his terrified mother, Lisa would send him to the hospital. What the doctors at the hospital could only do was to put Ryan on a morphine drip.

Ryan's dystonia was severe and affected much of his body. As he grew older, it got worse. He would regularly fell down the stairs at home, collapse as his left leg go into convulsions.

Through this, I think that Ryan was living a life that no one would want to. If I were Ryan, I would blame myself for bringing all these troubles on my parents as they would be very tired taking care of such a child.

However, Ryan started running and going for competitions. This is actually quite challenging for Ryan. He would need to take his medicine regularly and stop if he thinks that a dystonia attack. From him, I can see the determination and the will power that is in him. No matter how many times he had the dystonia attacks, he would never give up on running. I think that we are fortunate as we do not need to suffer the excruciating pain that Ryan needs to go through.

These days, teenagers and children are getting more and more pampered. hence, many would cry even at the slightest pain or give up easily. We should learn from Ryan, to be strong and determined and not to give up easily. We should try our very best in completing anything. After completing it, we should ask ourselves, did we really try our best?

I really hope that Ryan could complete more races and survive for a long time. I also hope that Ryan can participate in the London Summer Olympics in 2012.