A Liver Transplant Is My Last Hope. I’m Asking for a Chance to Live


A Note Before You Read: This will take about 3 minutes of your time. If you can stay with me for those 3minutes, you may help change the course of my life.

 

My Journey So Far

Hello All,

My name is Tito Gitau Kinuthia. I am from the United Kingdom. In early 2023, my life began to change in ways I didn’t understand. I started gaining weight rapidly, reaching almost 140 kg (308 pounds). I struggled to breathe. I coughed constantly. My body felt foreign to me, but no one could explain why.

One night, I went to the hospital hoping for answers. Instead, I began a long road of misdiagnosis. I was treated for high blood pressure and severe gastric reflux, yet my symptoms only worsened. The coughing, the breathlessness, the fatigue—I lived with them every day, without knowing their cause.

 

When Everything Changed

I returned to Kenya for my father’s funeral. While there, I finally saw a heart specialist. For the first time in months, my blood pressure stabilised with proper treatment.

But something was still wrong. The cough never stopped. I was treated for sleep apnea. I underwent minor surgery to manage gastric reflux. For a moment, I believed I might finally recover.

In December 2024, everything changed. I coughed—and saw blood.

At the hospital, a growth was found on my liver. I was sent to India for further tests. There, I heard the words no one is ever prepared for: It was cancer.

In that moment, the past two years made sense. Reflux, breathlessness, and blood pressure. The constant coughing. It had been cancer all along.

 

The Search for a Donor

Doctors in India told me there was only one path forward: A liver transplant.

My family and I began the painful search for a donor. Two potential donors were rejected. Months passed in uncertainty. Each failed attempt brought me closer to losing hope.

Then, just last week, my cousin was approved as a donor.

For the first time, I saw a future I might still reach.

 

Where I Am Today

I am currently in India, waiting to begin the final process. The transplant journey will take around three months, beginning with three weeks of government clearance.

I have covered every cost up to this point through personal savings and the help of my family. I have travelled, undergone tests, and persisted through every setback.

Now, at the most critical stage - the surgery that could save my life - our resources are extremely limited. We have stretched everything we had, and we cannot move forward without your help.

 

Why I Need Your Help

I am asking for help so I can reach the transplant that may cure my cancer.

Your support will go towards:

• Medical treatment, travel, and accommodation in India — approximately $80,000

• Full-time nurse care after transplant (2–3 months) — around $1,500

• Lifelong post-transplant medication — about $1,000 per month

Choosing India is not a convenience. It is survival.

• In the USA, the same treatment would cost nearly $500,000.

• In Turkey, South Korea, or Dubai, around $250,000.

This path, though difficult, is my only viable chance.

 

Cost & Medical Details (Full Transparency)

• Illness began: Early 2023

• Misdiagnosed for months with hypertension and gastric reflux

• Treated for sleep apnea and underwent gastric reflux operation

• Coughing blood led to discovery of liver growth in December 2024

• Cancer confirmed in India

• Two donors rejected; third donor (cousin) approved recently

• Current stage: Awaiting government clearance in India for transplant

• Total estimated need: $80,000

• Post-surgery nursing: $1,500

• 6 months and 12 months post-surgery medical check and treatment with flight cost and accommodation: $20,000

• Ongoing medication: $1,000/month

 

The Urgency

The tumour is large and carries a serious risk. The doctors have warned that it could potentially rupture if surgery is delayed. Chemotherapy was discussed, but:

• It does not ensure survival

• It is significantly more expensive

• In many cases, it ends in loss

This transplant is not an improvement of life; it is the preservation of life itself.

 

With Gratitude

If you have read this far, thank you. I may never meet you, but please know this: your contribution is not just financial support.

• It is time.

• It is a chance for tomorrow.

• It is a lifeline.

If you are unable to donate, I humbly ask you to please share my story with your friends, your family, and as many people as possible. Even a share can help my mission reach someone who may be able to help.

I want to stand healthy again, not just to say, “I survived,” but to be able to stand beside someone else in their battle, just as you have stood beside me in mine. So that one day, my story may become someone else’s reason to keep going.

With all my heart,
Tito.