A family in Ruiru, Kiambu County is seeking assistance from well-wishers to help them raise Ksh2.5 million for the treatment of their kin.
Keila Wanjiru, a one-and-a-half-year-old baby is set to undergo open heart surgery in India after she was found to be battling a complex congenital heart disease.
According to her mother Ann Njoki Kang’ethe, trouble started in August last year when Wanjiru was admitted at Thika Level Five with pneumonia only for doctors to discover that something was amiss.
After checkups, Njoki was advised by the medics to take her daughter to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to undergo an echocardiogram to help them diagnose the heart condition that was troubling her.
After the scan, Wanjiru was found to be battling atrial septal defects in his lower and upper chambers, a congenital heart defect that has been dragging her growth rate and inhibiting the proper passage of oxygen, thereby making her struggle to breathe.
Wanjiru, who has been tiring easily, breathing fast and experiencing frequent respiratory infections, cannot be treated locally owing to the unavailability of the required machinery.
After a thorough research, doctors advised that she undergo the much-needed operation in India to save her life.
Njoki, who is a single mother of two children, told journalists that Wanjiru’s growth has been stunted as she has never crawled or walked, unlike her age mates.
The jobless woman, a journalist by profession, called on well-wishers to help her youngest daughter live again by offering their financial support to aid in her medication.
“I recently left the job I was doing to give my child the attention she needs and she requires to be constantly and keenly monitored. I am now at home and unable to raise the fees she requires to undergo the surgery in India. My only hope now is well-wishers and I urge Kenyans to come to my rescue to save the life of my second-born child,” Njoki said.
Njoki’s sister Caroline Wangari said the family had organised several fundraisers but the little money that was raised went into tests at various local facilities and clinics.
The two desperately called on well-wishers to support them financially to save the young girl.
Well-wishers willing to support the family can channel their support through Paybill number 8053881 with an account name reading Keilah Wanjiku Medical Fund or reach her mother using her phone number 0714333212.