Father’s 20 year struggle to restore child’s health

By Bett Kipsang’

 Unless he opens up and speak his heart out, things may seem cool for John Kimani Kariuki, a resident of Kio village in Laikipia west. But after sitting down to listen to his story; you will definitely get to know the burden him and family has gone through in search for their sons’ treatment in the past twenty years. LRV brings an account of the family’s long, rocky and tortuous journey in search of treatment for their beloved son, Daniel Kariuki. 

Daniel Kariuki

 The family of seven was blessed with a bouncing baby boy named Dan Kariuki, twenty three years ago. The lad crew up well, but when was three, his parents spotted a growth on his loins. Oblivious of the magnitude of the problem, the couple went for medical checkups at the local hospitals and dispensaries. 

 Nothing prepared the family for what would seem like a lifetime of hectic search for cure to the persistent growth. “At a tender age of five, Daniel had his first operation to remove the lumps of masses around the waist. The operation went on successfully and the boy become well for a while’’ said John Kariuki. 

The relief was short-lived as the painful growths returned with vengeance. The large sore masses started spreading all round the waist. ‘‘The masses were too painful such that the boy could not sleep day and nights on end’’ the father said.  

The pains tormenting the young man become unbearable and that is when his father set out to look for medication. He sought help from major hospitals and used up all his money. ‘‘All I cared was to get the boy well, even if it means spending all the little money I had’’ he said. 

Before long, his pockets were running dry; he closed his business and sold most of the family assets to continue the spirited battle with the condition. “After I had exhausted everything, I almost gave up, but the love and sympathy for the sick child got me trying something new every time’’ john said. He started organising fund raising in the village to raise hospital money. Before long people got used to it and nobody could respond anymore! 

Occasionally he could come across good Samaritans who assisted him. The boy has gone through major hospitals in the country. It was at the Karen hospital where he was diagnosed with recurrent fibrosarcoma and an operation done on him to remove the growths. 

He has also been to Kinangop, Kenyatta hospital, Nairobi hospital among others. So far the boy has gone through operations eleven times to remove the recurrent masses. Radio therapy was recommended but it became too expensive for the family to afford the many trips to and from hospital.  John said that treating the disease was the most expensive thing he has ever gone through.

He is now appealing to well wishers to come in and support the child. He said that the masses are reappearing due to delayed radio therapy. Daniel Kariuki 23 has had his education interrupted several times due to his condition.