Nairobi – A Kenyan father is making an emotional appeal to well-wishers and the public to help save his young daughter’s life as she battles leukaemia at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

Edwin Gakure, whose daughter is currently admitted to Ward 9A, Bed Number 19, is seeking financial support for a life-saving bone marrow transplant that doctors have recommended be carried out in India.

He told that the family’s nightmare began in December 2024 when his daughter started experiencing persistent hip pain.

Edwin disclosed that at first, the eight-year-old girl's health struggles were on and off, which made them assume it was something negligible.

“We visited an orthopaedic specialist who ordered an X-ray, but the results didn’t show anything alarming. We were given painkillers and told to monitor the situation,” he recalled.

However, her condition soon worsened as she became lethargic, lost her appetite, and began losing weight.

The pain, initially localised to the hip, spread throughout her body. Alarmed, the family sought further medical attention and visited a paediatrician at KNH, who conducted additional tests.

The results were devastating: her white blood cell count was abnormally high, and her blood levels were dangerously low.

The family was referred to a haematologist, and after a battery of tests, doctors confirmed the heartbreaking diagnosis — leukaemia.

Since then, Edwin’s daughter has been receiving chemotherapy at KNH.

While the treatment has brought some relief, doctors have advised that a bone marrow transplant offers the best chance for a complete cure and to prevent the recurrence of the disease.

The cost of the transplant and related expenses in India, however, are well beyond the family’s financial means.

“We are doing everything possible to raise the funds,” Edwin said. “But it’s a huge amount. That’s why we are appealing to kind-hearted Kenyans, organisations, and the general public to help us give our daughter a second chance at life.”

The family is hoping that by sharing their story publicly, they can garner the attention and support needed to facilitate the urgent trip to India.

Source: TUKO.co.ke