Support Philip's Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis

Hello friends,

This is a fundraiser for a dear friend and colleague Philip Kariuki. Philip, friend to many, came to the US to study at Duke University - class of 2019. He pursued a degree in Computer Science with the intention of seeking opportunity in the field. However, during his senior year, he started to suffer from the symptoms of Undiagnosed Multiple Sclerosis (a condition characterized by spots popping up on the brain). These symptoms challenged his ability to complete his degree, but he was able to pull through even as the added challenges of the Covid pandemic increased the complexity of his situation.

He lived in North Carolina with a caring friend, until he couldn't. In 2020, Philip moved to Washington where he stayed with family as he tried to get his footing during the pandemic. It was here that the first conspicuous signs of the disease came in. For multiple days, Philip lost his sight and was unable to move his body. This was a tell-tale symptom of the disease. As time passed his mental health got challengingly worse. He suffered numerous depressive episodes. He sought medical assistance after this and was subjected to multiple tests that helped him get an official diagnosis.

Life has presented Phil with a series of challenges ever since. Lacking the proper support that he would need to deal with MS, Phil has had to battle housing insecurity, medical insecurity, and immigration complexities.

To get back into society, Philip would need to secure the following:

Housing security.

Currently Philip has secured a fair housing contract where he is required to pay subsidized rent each month. This arrangement works for now but remains insecure as he still lacks the stability to actively seek a reliable source of sustenance.

Medical coverage.

Under federal law, Philip can apply for Medicare in Washington state. This would go a long way to help him gain access to medication and future procedures and tests should he need them. There are legal fees that may come to play in this case.

Immigration support.

Philip has currently applied for asylum. This process is a requirement for his application for Medicare. The timeline is unpredictable. This application affords him some time to figure out his medical, financial and should the timeline allow professional plans.

Financial support.

As is, Philip has accrued a significant amount of hospital debt in the tests that he has undergone for the diagnosis. There are avenues to get grants to offset these costs, however we anticipate that there will be funds that would still need intervention to clear.

As Philip is working through his health and security concerns, he would also need assistance for day to day provisions like groceries.

While Philip pursues as many avenues to get back in control of his life, he would need our help to get there.

Your financial assistance would help him to:

Secure housing

Secure legal and immigration assistance.

Secure food and daily provisions.

Offset existing medical bills.

Carried over funds will assist with gaining certification for work that would allow him a more sustainable source of income.

Please consider donating to his GoFundMe and sharing the link with your friends and family who may be in a position to help. If you are able to share any additional resources that Philip may be able to benefit from, please feel free to share with us. Hold him in your prayers and send him your love.

We will also be creating a whatsapp group to better coordinate our efforts to assist him. All are welcome to join. Use this link to access the whatsapp groupchat.