Help Save Andrew's Life in Kenya

NOTE - PLEASE READ UPDATES SECTION FOR MOST CURRENT INFORMATION - Hello, my name is Tracy (Baraboo, WI) and I'm opening this GoFundMe page to help Andrew, age 17, with the necessary medical costs for a life-saving bone marrow transplant to cure the rare, life-threatening disease, aplastic anemia.

 

Andrew only attended three lessons at University of Nairobi in Sept of 2021 before falling ill.  He is studying Journalism and Communications and hopes to one day become a broadcaster. He was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare condition in which the bone marrow doesn’t produce enough red blood cells. The condition is life-threatening with a 70% death rate in the first year if left untreated. The only cure is a bone marrow transplant. Andrew has been hospitalized multiple times since his diagnosis in order to receive platelet and blood transfusions, which is only a temporary solution for this condition. Andrew is in need of a bone marrow transplant in order to save his life.

 

Andrew is one of four boys, and is a son to Johnstone and Cami. He grew up in Kibera, which is the largest slum in Kenya and the largest urban slum on the continent of Africa.

 

Johnstone, Andrew’s father, has worked for 22 years as the principal of Soweto Academy, a Christian school in Kibera which serves 500 students and receives no federal funding. He has never been able to obtain medical insurance in this position. Johnstone has fought tirelessly for all of these years to help his community improve their lives through education and by providing food, sanitation, housing for orphaned girls and medical assistance as well.  Now, he is fighting desperately for the life of his own son.

 

In Johnstone’s own words, “My family is in total trouble. My second born child, Andrew Glorioustabby is the hospital. The doctors diagnosed and discovered that he was suffering from Aplastic Anaemia. This disease leads to a complete loss of blood and the only remedy is to have a bone marrow transplant. It is a very expensive treatment and cannot be done in Kenya. The hematologists in the country suggest India to be a possible place but all in all is a very expensive program. I am unable to think but God is the only shield. God uses people to perform miracles and we are faithful that He will heal my son. Our situation is so saddening but our God is the solution to my families trouble. My wife Cami does not even have energy to eat food. She has become weak because of the total panic. My child is in a terrible condition. He is God who heals. Doctors in the country are not optimistic by now. Wherever you are, pray for me.”

 

These words were from a series of email exchanges with very close friends of mine (Zak and Becky Alwin) who have worked in Kenya with Johnstone. He simply asked for prayer. In addition to our prayers, we would also like to help Johnstone raise the funds needed to provide his son with this life-saving treatment, which he was told would be close to $25,000 (USD) for travel and medical costs which include a lengthy hospitalization. We would like to raise these funds as soon as possible and have all donations transferred to Johnstone by the end of November, as this is a time sensitive situation. Thank you so much in advance for your love, support and prayers for Andrew and his family.

Per the recommendation of GoFundMe Trust and Security team (so great they have this!),  I'm adding additional information to provide transparency in this fundraiser:
I do not know Andrew or Johnstone personally, but my close friends, Zak and Becky Alwin, do know them.  Zak and Becky travelled to Kenya in 2008 and 2011 and served alongside Johnstone at his school, Soweto Academy.   Becky has been in email contact with Johnstone regularly, nearly monthly, for the past 13 years.  She knows Johnstone as a man of integrity and of his word.  Becky has known of Johnstone to send receipts and photos to her in the past for money that has been raised to help support Soweto and the students.  Johnstone has never, not even to this day, asked for any money to help support him or his own family.  When Becky told him I was setting up a GoFundMe page, Johnstone emailed her a hospital discharge summary from Andrew's recent hospitalization, and I will attach this to this page to add credibility to his story. 

The funds that are collected by GoFundMe cannot be directed to Johnstone directly, as Kenya is not a supported country by GoFundMe.  This means that all of the funds are being withdrawn to personal account at my credit union, and I am taking responsibility for sending the funds to Johnstone.  The first transfer of funds will occur tomorrow, Nov 18th, as I have an appointment with my credit union who will wire the funds directly to Johnstone's bank account, which he has provided.  I will have receipts available, of course, for all transfers.  I am also keeping close track of all transactions from GoFundMe and to Kenya for my own purposes, as I think the IRS will be interested in the amount of money I'm sending to Kenya.  The funds that are sent to Kenya are for Johnstone to pay for medical treatment, specifically a bone marrow transplant, which is needed to save Andrew's life.   Johnstone is currently working on setting up a plan to travel (currently looks like India or South Africa are his best options) for the procedure, and has to do most of this leg work on his own, as this procedure is not available in Kenya.  I cannot guarantee or predict the future.  I do not know if or when Andrew will be able to have this procedure, which is the only cure for aplastic anemia.  I do know that the heart and intent of this fundraiser, and of Johnstone, his wife Cami along with their four boys, is to provide Andrew with a chance.  A chance to live.  This is his chance.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions.