Her father donated his kidney to her in a transplant procedure conducted at Nairobi Hospital. In 2000, however, the donated organ was infected. Her sister donated a replacement. In 2007, the donated organ again failed, but her brother came to her rescue donating his to save her life.
Veteran journalist Lorna Irungu was variously assailed by health issues but resiliently overcame them before she succumbed to Covid-19 related complications on Monday.
Irungu debuted as a TV presenter on KTN in the early 90s and made a name from presenting OMO pick a box on KBC TV in the late 90s.
The family announced that she had succumbed to Covid-19 related complications at the Nairobi Hospital.
She is survived by her husband Edwin Macharia and a daughter. The husband said the family was gutted by the loss and appreciated the outpouring of love and sympathy they had received but sought privacy.
It all started in 1997 when she was diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the body's system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues in many parts of the body. This was just the start of her health woes.
In 1998, she developed a kidney problem with one of them failing. The failure was attributed to the Lupus.
Her father donated his kidney to her in a transplant procedure conducted at Nairobi Hospital. In 2000, however, the donated organ was infected. Her sister donated a replacement. In 2007, the donated organ again failed, but her brother came to her rescue donating his to save her life.
“I no longer had the will to fight. I was scarred physically and mentally. Frankly, I’d had enough of life and all it had to offer,” Irungu said later during an interview.
During the TED talk she gave in 2012, she said her family was a rock, hailing the support she received from them, giving their organs and resources to see her live.
"My family is my rock. I would not stand here before you without them. My first transplant was donated by my father, second by my sister and third by my brother. They have been there for me and have literally given back my life," she said.
Her friends also came to her aid, she said, setting up an organisation called 'Friends of Lorna' to crowd source for her treatment. She raised Sh20 million over 15 years to help her attain cutting edge medication.
"My friends set up an organisation very quickly because I did not have medical insurance and was staring at humongous bills. It was called Friends of Lorna, still exists," she said.
When her kidney started failing due to Lupus, she wrote an email to kidney specialists abroad, detailing her problems and seeking advice and help.
In return, the specialists who responded sent her a scanned copy of a kidney book and that the information in the publication saved her life.
"I was confused, I didn't know what was happening, and through my contact of friends and family who were living abroad, I got in touch with Lupus Foundation of America and one kind doctor photocopied a book and mailed it to me...that book saved my life."
Besides her TV career, Irungu also worked with Nation FM before starting her own public relations firm. At the point of her death, she was the managing director at Gina Din Group.
Edited by P.O