Nairobi News

SportsWhat's Hot

Budding football star succumbs to cancer despite leg amputation


A budding football star in Nairobi succumbed to cancer related complications on Friday evening, barely a month after well wishers led by Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama raised money for his treatment.

Life had seemed normal for Edwin Kariuki, 17, an upcoming football talent at the Total Sports Academy, until he suffered what he initially believed was a knock on his right foot in January 2015.

The pain as a result of the injury persisted and soon developed into a wound.

“It was his right ankle,” Kariuki’s friend and namesake Edwin Nandwa told Nairobi News.

“He felt some pain that refused to go away. Moments later, a wound developed that would ooze blood and a watery fluid on a frequent basis,” Nandwa explained.

Kariuki sought treatment at Mbagathi Hospital and later referred to Kenyatta National Hospital from where he was diagnosed with bone cancer.

“The doctors advised that he should be amputated. But the list was too long at Kenyatta and he was hurting. That forced the family to look for an alternative at Meridian Hospital in Nairobi West,” Nandwa explained.

His family and friends appealed for financial help on social media. Victor Wanyama, who plays for Southampton in the English Premier League, donated Sh 100,000. In total, sh250, 000 was raised.

Kariuki, a student at Bisang High School, got his right leg amputated and was recuperating at home until Friday morning when he complained of chest and stomach pains.

He was rushed to hospital for treatment where he was pronounced dead in the evening.