Eunice Needs our Help with Medical Costs
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Eunice is the woman in the photo. Eunice is a widow of many years and has raised several children mostly on her own. Like many people in Kenya, she and her children live in the villages and they eke out a living as best they can. They have little for their own needs let alone funds for dealing with major life challenges. It is a real challenge just to try and eat, let alone eat a nutritious diet. Other things that we in the developed nations take for granted like eating out, travelling, buying books/clothing/household needs, medicines and so on are luxuries. The small amount of funds they are able to make are mainly used for meager food supplies an telephone data. Everyone in Kenya must have a phone of some kind as that is the way to stay in touch, do business and banking.
Eunice is from a village near Kericho, Kenya where she taught Sunday School for over 40 years. She retired from this role a few years ago but before she could enjoy her down time she became sick and has been in and out of hospitals for treatment. She has been in a private hospital in Nakuru, Kenya for several months after spending time at the mission hospital in Tenwek near Bomet. The hospitals are several hours away from her home and family. Her main health challenges are acute anemia and high blood pressure which seem to be health issues on the maternal side of the family.
Eunice's family and I have been trying to get her the medical help she needs and it has been difficult to fully understand the nature of her condition. Mostly we have been responding to urgent medical needs to keep her alive. Such interventions include keeping her supplied with oxygen, blood and special food as needed. But these treatments have only been keeping her going rather than healed any underlying health issues.
Her family and I have been trying to get her the medical help she needs but it has taken a long while to fully grasp the nature of her condition. Thus far we have been able to keep her going and to do the urgent things for her care. We have been keeping her supplied with oxygen, blood and special food when we can but it has been challenging financially to do what is required. Whatever we have done has only kept her alive and hasn't addressed any underlying health issues.
We are now at the point of trying some expensive medications and a more consistent special diet to see if this combined approach will give her the boost she needs to fully recover. It has been about 8 days on this new regime and Eunice seems to be stabilizing but once again we are running out of funds. We are urgently trying to raise the funds needed so she can get the required treatment for at least another month.
Funds are needed for pay for the medications, blood and oxygen when required, care in Intensive Care Unit and if moved, general ward costs. Since she is in hospital hours away from her home town, we also need a bit of funds for food for her son or daughter who accompany her and visit her every day. They do not live in Nakuru where Eunice is currently in hospital and she cannot be moved due to an unpaid hospital bill. Eunice actually has medical insurance but the hospital costs are much more than what insurance has paid and what I could add.
Here is a budget breakdown for the next month or two.
Current medicine costs are 5000 Kenyan shillings (KSH) for every 5 days (approx $65 (Canadian), $50 (US), $71 (Australian), $44 (Euros) 39 Pounds Sterling.
Funds are needed for at least one month 5000 KSH x 6 = 30,000 KSH. Two months is 60,000 KSH.
Approximate costs for oxygen and blood is 7000 KSH (approx $95 Canadian) for each pint of blood or each tank of oxygen. She will likely need more than one of each.
High Dependency Unit (called in Intensive Care in some countries) or General Ward costs would be additional but for now we seek support for medicines.
For family support costs for one person is as follows:
Food costs are 1500 Kenyan shillings for 2 days or 1500 x 15 for one month is =22500 Kenyan shillings.
30,000 +22500 Kenyan shillings =52, 500 Kenyan shillings minimum per month ($673 (Canadian), $507 (US), $746 (Australian), 458 (Euros), 404 (Pounds Sterling)
Other costs, travel back and forth to the hospital (5600 KSH per month), occasional travel to home 3000 KSH per month), food (30,000 KSH per month), lodgings (45, 000 per month). Approximate cost for one month 83,600 KSH. Cost for 2 months approx. 167,200 KSH.
The family expresses gratitude for anyone who is able to contribute. They realize that it is a completely selfless act. One person cannot do it all but many people working together can do a lot.
We appreciate if you would share this need as widely as you can. Thank you so much.
Eunice is from a village near Kericho, Kenya where she taught Sunday School for over 40 years. She retired from this role a few years ago but before she could enjoy her down time she became sick and has been in and out of hospitals for treatment. She has been in a private hospital in Nakuru, Kenya for several months after spending time at the mission hospital in Tenwek near Bomet. The hospitals are several hours away from her home and family. Her main health challenges are acute anemia and high blood pressure which seem to be health issues on the maternal side of the family.
Eunice's family and I have been trying to get her the medical help she needs and it has been difficult to fully understand the nature of her condition. Mostly we have been responding to urgent medical needs to keep her alive. Such interventions include keeping her supplied with oxygen, blood and special food as needed. But these treatments have only been keeping her going rather than healed any underlying health issues.
Her family and I have been trying to get her the medical help she needs but it has taken a long while to fully grasp the nature of her condition. Thus far we have been able to keep her going and to do the urgent things for her care. We have been keeping her supplied with oxygen, blood and special food when we can but it has been challenging financially to do what is required. Whatever we have done has only kept her alive and hasn't addressed any underlying health issues.
We are now at the point of trying some expensive medications and a more consistent special diet to see if this combined approach will give her the boost she needs to fully recover. It has been about 8 days on this new regime and Eunice seems to be stabilizing but once again we are running out of funds. We are urgently trying to raise the funds needed so she can get the required treatment for at least another month.
Funds are needed for pay for the medications, blood and oxygen when required, care in Intensive Care Unit and if moved, general ward costs. Since she is in hospital hours away from her home town, we also need a bit of funds for food for her son or daughter who accompany her and visit her every day. They do not live in Nakuru where Eunice is currently in hospital and she cannot be moved due to an unpaid hospital bill. Eunice actually has medical insurance but the hospital costs are much more than what insurance has paid and what I could add.
Here is a budget breakdown for the next month or two.
Current medicine costs are 5000 Kenyan shillings (KSH) for every 5 days (approx $65 (Canadian), $50 (US), $71 (Australian), $44 (Euros) 39 Pounds Sterling.
Funds are needed for at least one month 5000 KSH x 6 = 30,000 KSH. Two months is 60,000 KSH.
Approximate costs for oxygen and blood is 7000 KSH (approx $95 Canadian) for each pint of blood or each tank of oxygen. She will likely need more than one of each.
High Dependency Unit (called in Intensive Care in some countries) or General Ward costs would be additional but for now we seek support for medicines.
For family support costs for one person is as follows:
Food costs are 1500 Kenyan shillings for 2 days or 1500 x 15 for one month is =22500 Kenyan shillings.
30,000 +22500 Kenyan shillings =52, 500 Kenyan shillings minimum per month ($673 (Canadian), $507 (US), $746 (Australian), 458 (Euros), 404 (Pounds Sterling)
Other costs, travel back and forth to the hospital (5600 KSH per month), occasional travel to home 3000 KSH per month), food (30,000 KSH per month), lodgings (45, 000 per month). Approximate cost for one month 83,600 KSH. Cost for 2 months approx. 167,200 KSH.
The family expresses gratitude for anyone who is able to contribute. They realize that it is a completely selfless act. One person cannot do it all but many people working together can do a lot.
We appreciate if you would share this need as widely as you can. Thank you so much.
Organizer
BC Penny
Organizer
Vancouver, BC
