I'M GOING TO BE A FARMER

This Free State farm boy was diagnosed at birth with a painful and rare skin condition, but it hasn't stopped him from ploughing ahead

- JACQUES MYBURGH

THERE’S little he doesn’t know about farming. At the age of 12, he has his own tractor and he doesn’t hesitate to hop on a horse to herd some cattle.

Hannes Taljaard dreams of taking over his father’s farm one day but it’s not a straightforward thing to do. The young boy has a rare condition that means even the slightest bump can be dangerous. The farm near Odendaalsrus in the Free State is surrounded by heavy equipment, sharp tools and razor wire, which means there’s no shortage of potential hazards.

Hannes’ parents, Janus (39) and Charmaine (38), are confronted with the reality that their son faces a difficult future.

He was diagnosed with epidermolysis bullosa simplex soon after he was born. There are four types and Hannes was diagnosed with the version formerly known as the Koebner phenomenon (see box).

Even the most minor of mishaps – bumps and scrapes that would leave most other people without any sign of injury – will result in him developing painful lesions and sores.

The farm tractor pulls to a stop next to where we’re standing. After getting down slowly and with great difficulty, Hannes comes over. As he greets us with a firm handshake, it’s impossible not to notice the cuts, scrapes and blisters covering his skin.

He often has blisters on his skin – even on the soles of his feet and the palms of his hands. But he doesn’t let that get him down, Charmaine says.

“Hannes has an extremely high pain threshold. Doctors have told us the wounds and blisters are tantamount to the pain of third-degree burn wounds.”

AS WE chat with his parents, Hannes, a keen cricketer, exercises his bowling arm by throwing stones at a tree.