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City dad appeals for help for little son’s cancer treatment

By EVELYNE MUSAMBI September 17th, 2016 2 min read

A father is appealing to Kenyans for funds for treatment of his five-year-old son who was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago.

Stephen Kuria, whose first born son, Peter Njoroge was diagnosed in April 2015 after his paternal aunt succumbed to cervical cancer, has been paying for chemotherapy sessions and drugs through the help of family and friends.

The treatment has however become too costly for them as young Njoroge has had to restart chemotherapy session three times due to increasing tumor size.

Little Njoroge had a tumor in his right thigh which was found to be Embryonal Rhabdomysarcoma, a form of cancer of connective tissue common in children.

“We noticed the swelling during his aunt’s burial and on visiting the Kenyatta National Hospital it took weeks of treatment before diagnosis was done and we started chemotherapy sessions,” Mr Kuria told Nairobi News.

RUN OUT OF CASH

The casual worker married to a housewife independently financed the first course of treatment but when the doctor’s reviewed the young boy after completion, they recommended more sessions as the tumor had increased.

“We were to move to the next treatment phase which we had been told was radiotherapy but they changed the medicine and started chemotherapy again and that was the time I approached family and friends for support,” said Baby Njoroge’s father.

During this week’s review and chemotherapy session, the doctors recommended five more sessions.

“I have totally run out of cash as sometimes we find the hospital does not have certain medicine required for chemotherapy and we have to buy from private chemists which are expensive,” said Mr Kuria.

He is still uncertain of how much the entire treatment of his son will take, but hopes that Kenyans can help.

FAMILY’S WOES

“I do not know how much it will cost as they keep recommending more chemotherapy sessions before we can advance to radiotherapy and so any amount donated by Kenyans will be of great help,” said Mr Kuria.

Little Njoroge has since stopped attending baby class as he is in and out of hospital every month and sometimes in too much pain.

“When in pain he cannot even move the right leg but sometimes he says he is not feeling any pain and manages to move for a few metres while supporting himself on furniture,” says the boy’s father.

The family hopes that they will be able to take him for all recommended chemo and radiotherapy sessions and in the end be cancer free.

Mr Kuria’s second born son, who is only six months old, was on Thursday taken ill and admitted at a city hospital adding to the family’s woes.

Funds can be channeled to the family through Njoroge Kuria Medical Fund, Pay bill No 836274, Account Name Your Name or through M-Pesa Kuria Njoroge 0712703972.