Age 16 marks the second phase of teenage. Naturally, we make plans how we want to approach our 20s. We think of clearing high school with good grades. Joining University to pursue that dream course. Maybe have a future with that boyfriend or girlfriend. Maybe. For Omondi Ochuka, 16 was no different albeit with a small twist. For his teenage love was expectant with twins. And that’s how he was ready to walk into adulthood; as the proud father to twins, mothered by the love of his life.
That was before 17 came and he lost one of the twins. Stillbirth. Then the girlfriend to sickle cell. Before he could process all this, a diagnosis of Liver Cancer banging on his door the next year. And with no one to stop the floodgates, the year after that his closest friend Emmanuel Jadudi (R.I.P) broke to him the news that he himself had Brain Cancer.
Life was coming fast at him and everyone he cared for. It threw adulthood at his feet and told him to man up.
In the first part of our #BeingAMan Series, we sit down with the statistician who hates statistics because of the countless times he’s defied them. He talks about his 8 years with Liver Cancer; the pain, his survivor’s guilt, Jadudi and how a teenager’s whole life was flipped upside down inside of 2 years.
***
Contribute to Omondi Ochuka’s Medical Fund Drive
Paybill Number – 891300
Account Number – Ochuka
M-Pesa Number – 0726649526
***
Omondi Ochuka’s music is available on on:
Band Camp -
Sound Cloud -
Follow him on Facebook:
Subscribe to his WordPress
Soundtracks used in this episode:
PTSD – Omondi Ochuka
Cursed Grounds – Omondi Ochuka
Requiem II – Omondi Ochuka
0 Comments