Kayla Parris, 16, is the daughter of Simone Coelho and Jordan Parris, and is a Form Four student at Bishop Anstey High School (BAHS). Resident in Champs Fleurs, she is an inspiring poet who has already published a book—Kayla’s Way—launched in November 2015.
“I always liked to perform and be on stage,” reveals Kayla. “At primary school (Maria Regina) I sang, both as a soloist and in the school choir. I also liked athletics and swimming, but had to give up running through illness at the age of ten.”
At age ten, Kayla suffered a flare up of the dreaded disease lupus. She recalls: “For me it was confusing, painful, and very scary. It started off one morning at school when everyone was telling me that I was looking different. It was diagnosed that I was retaining fluid and had to be rushed to the Mt Hope Medical Sciences Hospital that night. My blood pressure skyrocketed. About four days later, in one morning, I experienced seven seizures at Mt Hope, which brought on an attack of encephalitis (fluid to the brain).”
Kayla remained at Mt Hope for roughly a month, gaining 30 pounds as a result of the steroid medication being administered to her. Born under the sign of Virgo and being “a natural fighter,” Kayla says that she wasn’t depressed by her medical situation. “I was more confused than anything else,” she says.
Returning to school wasn’t a pleasant experience for Kayla. She says: “The children were not too nice, but my principal (Mrs Crouch) was very supportive. Some of the students began referring to me as ‘the girl with the disease’ which was really mean. While in hospital I did have a few close friends who came to visit me.”
Because of her ailment, and because her mother also fell ill, Kayla missed much of her Standard Four classes and had to repeat her SEA, but eventually passed for entry to BAHS. “By the time I entered Bishop’s,” says Kayla, “I had dropped a lot of the weight I had gained. My entry to Bishop’s wasn’t a traumatic experience. If there was anything traumatic, it was because I was the only student from Maria Regina to pass for Bishop’s.”
Kayla explained that Lupus is an auto immune illness that affects the immune system. It is hereditary. Kayla advises young people out there who may also have lupus: “Strictly stick to taking your meds that have been prescribed for you, eat properly and on time, avoid citrus and salt, and be positive always.
“The form of lupus I am suffering with is Systemic Lupus Erythmathosus (SLE) which affects the blood, bones, organs and skin—basically everything in one’s anatomy. Because of the amount of steroid usage, the cartilage around my left knee deteriorated to the extent that I had to undergo corrective surgery twice, done by Dr David Toby at Princess Elizabeth Centre in Woodbrook.”
Kayla began writing poetry as a Form One student. She says: “Because of cyber bullying at this stage of my life, I began writing poetry as it was an easy outlet for me. My poems at the age of 12 can only be described as ‘morbid’ as they told of mayhem, rape, murder and really dark things.
“My mommy was the first person I shared my poems with. She was amazed when she heard my first anti-bullying poem... I can easily express myself through pen and paper. I also shared my writings with granny (Christine Parris-Debique).
“Author Gerry Besson, of Paria Publishing, on reading my poems, said they were well written and deserving of being published.” Kayla’s Way was illustrated by Kayla’s cousin Stephanie Warren-Gittens.
Kayla, despite her challenges, has bravely sought to become an all-round BAHS student and she resumed displaying her performing skills. “I performed at school assembles and represented the school at Spoken Word competitions.” At the recently held Courts Bocas Intercol Spoken Word Poetry competition, at UWI, Kayla made it to the final round of the competition.
Besides writing poetry, Kayla is also quite competent at writing Midnight Robber speeches which she churns out for her schoolmates.
Kayla has six siblings but says she is closest to her baby sister Keira, now nine years old.
Kayla’s Way has already sold more than 250 copies in Trinidad and regionally, a feat she is proud off. “I am thrilled, ecstatic,” says the young poetess.
“The proceeds from my first book went to four organisations, including Princess Elizabeth Centre and the Voice of Lupus Foundation. I was interviewed on Trinity TV and the producers were impressed, so much so that they are contemplating having me involved in a youth show they have on the drawing board.”
Kayla, a brave trooper, is full of confidence as she looks to the future. She says: “Right now I am concentrating on my CXC exams and the publishing of my second book.”