<p>Lavanya Sharma, now 13, is an integral part of Karnataka’s sub-junior girls’ basketball team that bagged the bronze in the 46th National Sub-junior Nationals.</p>.<p>Four years ago, however, Lavanya was battling the biggest challenge of her life. Basketball would have been the last thing on her young mind or her distraught parents. Barely nine, she didn’t even realise what she was going through when she was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, a rare condition that prevents the body from producing new blood cells. It leads to fatigue, increases risks of infection and could cause uncontrollable bleeding.</p>.<p>Lavanya’s parents just couldn’t believe what their daughter had been stricken with. As her mother Shikha Sharma, a teacher at Delhi Public School, Bangalore North, puts it, “She was hale and hearty with no signs of illness and suddenly this. It was a big shock to us.”</p>.<p>The event turned the hoopster’s life upside down. She needed a bone marrow transplant for the problem. It was tough on her family not just emotionally but logistically as well as they had to temporarily relocate to New Delhi for the transplant. “It was done in November 2015. We stayed there till she was stable. We then moved back to Bengaluru in April, 2016,” recalls Shikha.</p>.<p>But the nightmare was still not over. There were weekly blood tests, which had to be reviewed by a haematologist. “Whenever there was a blood test, it became very traumatic as there was a battery of tests that had to be conducted.</p>.<p>“Even during chemotherapy, as a child, she would ask ‘why me?’” said Shikha, who thanked DPS Bangalore North principal Manju Balasubramanyam for providing her and Lavanya with all the support.</p>.<p>All this while, Lavanya would keep herself distracted to deal with the anguish. “It was a tough time, but I kept myself distracted. My parents also kept me motivated. I was also doing creative work like making earrings,” Lavanya said.</p>.<p>It was during this period of distress that her interest in basketball grew and she met basketball coach Sachin Belavadi, who took her under his wings at Bharath Sports Union.</p>.<p>“Before Sachin sir came, we played basketball just for fun. But when he came to the Air Force Station, we started with this training,” explained Lavanya.</p>
<p>Lavanya Sharma, now 13, is an integral part of Karnataka’s sub-junior girls’ basketball team that bagged the bronze in the 46th National Sub-junior Nationals.</p>.<p>Four years ago, however, Lavanya was battling the biggest challenge of her life. Basketball would have been the last thing on her young mind or her distraught parents. Barely nine, she didn’t even realise what she was going through when she was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, a rare condition that prevents the body from producing new blood cells. It leads to fatigue, increases risks of infection and could cause uncontrollable bleeding.</p>.<p>Lavanya’s parents just couldn’t believe what their daughter had been stricken with. As her mother Shikha Sharma, a teacher at Delhi Public School, Bangalore North, puts it, “She was hale and hearty with no signs of illness and suddenly this. It was a big shock to us.”</p>.<p>The event turned the hoopster’s life upside down. She needed a bone marrow transplant for the problem. It was tough on her family not just emotionally but logistically as well as they had to temporarily relocate to New Delhi for the transplant. “It was done in November 2015. We stayed there till she was stable. We then moved back to Bengaluru in April, 2016,” recalls Shikha.</p>.<p>But the nightmare was still not over. There were weekly blood tests, which had to be reviewed by a haematologist. “Whenever there was a blood test, it became very traumatic as there was a battery of tests that had to be conducted.</p>.<p>“Even during chemotherapy, as a child, she would ask ‘why me?’” said Shikha, who thanked DPS Bangalore North principal Manju Balasubramanyam for providing her and Lavanya with all the support.</p>.<p>All this while, Lavanya would keep herself distracted to deal with the anguish. “It was a tough time, but I kept myself distracted. My parents also kept me motivated. I was also doing creative work like making earrings,” Lavanya said.</p>.<p>It was during this period of distress that her interest in basketball grew and she met basketball coach Sachin Belavadi, who took her under his wings at Bharath Sports Union.</p>.<p>“Before Sachin sir came, we played basketball just for fun. But when he came to the Air Force Station, we started with this training,” explained Lavanya.</p>
