• Naomi is prayerful and keenly listens to Bible stories. But her health is deteriorating by the day day.
• She has a brain cancer and obstructive hydrocephalus and needs treatment in India.
Naomi Wangui is six years old. Her mother, Mary Wangui, says she loves music, dancing and socialising.
Naomi is prayerful and keenly listens to Bible stories. But her health is deteriorating by the day day. She cannot join school.
The child has a brain tumour (cancer) and obstructive hydrocephalus and needs treatment in India. Mary has been told the treatment will cost Sh2.5 million, money the single mother of two does not have.
Mary is among thousands of Kenyans who lost jobs after Covid-19 was reported in March.
“We would like her to get treatment as soon as possible when the tumour is in its early stages. The earlier the better. We are humbly appealing for your help in fundraising for my little girl,” she appealed.
Naomi was born in a Nairobi hospital in 2014 without any complications. For the first three years, she was a healthy child, just like her 16-year-old brother.
But things took a turn for the worse when she turned three. Mary noticed some slight changes whenever the child sat to watch television - she uncontrollably tilted to one side, before sitting upright after a few moments.
“It used to happen a lot but we never thought much about it. When she turned four years, she was not only tilting her head but also falling while walking or playing with friends.”
The condition worsened a year later. This time she staggered, occasionally losing balance while walking. She also complained of blurry vision.
Mary took her to Kenyatta National Hospital. Tests indicated that everything was fine, but she was referred to a neurosurgeon at KNH and also told to get a CT scan.
The scan showed Naomi had progressive ataxia, a degenerative disease of the nervous system.
Its symptoms mimic those of being drunk, slurred speech, stumbling and falling. These are caused by damage to the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for coordinating movement.
“The doctor broke the news to us and told us that she has a tumour in her brain stem. This is what caused the lack of balance and coordination,” Mary told the Star.
“She also has brain stem glioma (brain cancer) and obstructive hydrocephalus, which means there is water surrounding the tumour.”
It is because of the location of the tumour the family has been forced to seek treatment in India as there "is no equipment to do so in Kenya".
Naomi is on medication but her mother says the drugs are no longer effective and the doctor has warned their continuous use might harm the child.
The side effects include dizziness, irritability and feeling drained.
A KNH document on early diagnosis of childhood brain tumours shows the condition is the second most common in children after leukaemia.
"Childhood brain tumours are the commonest cause of cancer-related deaths in children and adolescents," it says.
Mary said her daughter's condition demands she lives in a stress-free environment.
“She has to be surrounded by her loved ones especially her family. We also have to monitor her very closely. For example, when she goes to the toilet, she has to use a potty because she will lose balance and fall if she uses the normal toilet.”
The family has found it hard to raise funds for both Naomi's treatment and basic needs since Mary is jobless.
Setting up a fundraising event and asking for help from friends and family have also been a challenge due to Health ministry's Covid-19 pandemic protocols.
“We have tried raising money but we have not been able to get much as everyone is dealing with their own problems,” Mary said.
Contributions can be sent to (+254) 729201343.
- mwaniki fm