July 2024

The Backstory

Winny is a 26-year old from Kapsowar. As a child, her family relocated from the poorer valley in Kenya to Kapsowar for work. For years, her father tended to the cattle of others, saving enough money to buy a piece of land for his family (which is the economic security and inheritance for a family in Kenya). However, he was deceived. After building a home on it, they discovered their piece of land that should not have been for sale, as it belongs to the government, and they can be forced to leave at any time. 

Winny’s father passed away while she was young, leaving her mother to care for her alone. Through the community’s support, Winny’s older sister’s school fees were covered in hopes that she could provide for the family one day. She came through and finished her degree all the way to university, and was able to find a job in education. This helped relieve some of the economic burden on the family. However, in 2019, a mudslide took out her sister’s entire house, killing Winny’s sister and her sister’s husband, three children and relative’s child staying with them.

The government supported the family with a small amount after this natural disaster. These funds were used to put Winny through a certificate where she studied forest management. She had just finished her studies when the accident happened. 

The Accident

Recently, Winny was climbing her family’s avocado tree to pick fruit for sale when she suffered a terrible accident. She fell and was impaled on the fence below. Rushed to the hospital, she was losing blood rapidly. Our surgeon, Dr. Adrian, quickly assessed the situation and, after an X-ray and ultrasound, determined that immediate surgery was necessary.

As Dr. Adrian began the operation, she grew increasingly concerned. Winny had lost a significant amount of blood, and the situation was dire. Miraculously, our small blood clinic had her blood type available, thanks to a patient who didn’t need it earlier in the week.

However, the situation worsened when Dr. Adrian discovered a 4cm tear in Winny’s inferior vena cava (IVC), a major vein crucial to the circulatory system. This type of injury is often fatal, and many patients don’t survive long enough to reach the operating room.

In a stroke of providence, Dr. Celeste, assisting in the operation, immediately applied pressure to the wound and called for help. Just 24 hours prior, our hospital had welcomed Dr. Ryan Hall, a hepatobiliary and liver transplant surgeon from America, specializing in complex abdominal injuries. Dr. Hall rushed to the operating room as Dr. Celeste maintained pressure on the IVC tear.

The moment she released her hands, Winny lost so much blood that her heart stopped. The team swiftly clamped the vein and administered CPR, while the hospital’s nurses managed to acquire more blood of Winny’s type from a nursing student. The blood was transfused directly to Winny.

Against all odds, Winny survived. Dr. Hall skillfully repaired the 4cm laceration. Her recovery has been challenging, including dealing with a hemothorax (blood in the lungs), but after several weeks, she was well enough to be discharged home. Winny’s survival and recovery are nothing short of miraculous, a testament to the skill and dedication of our medical team and God’s provision. 

The Cost of Care

The social work team quickly realized that Winny’s family would struggle to cover the hospital bill. When her mother brought Winny to the hospital, she didn’t even have shoes to wear, highlighting their financial hardship.

Winny’s church community rallied together to help, organizing a fundraiser to cover the medical expenses. However, in their under-resourced community, they could only raise Ksh 10,000 ($76), and the total bill was just over $2,000. Desperate and willing to do anything for her daughter, Winny’s mother even considered selling their land to pay the bill. However, due to complications with land rights, they couldn’t sell the property. In a humble gesture, she offered to sell their avocado tree and its fruit to the hospital as a form of payment.

The Support of Our Donors

We are deeply grateful to the generous donors who stepped in to cover Winny’s medical bill through our Patient Assistance Fund. Your compassion and support have made a life-saving difference for her and her family. Your contributions not only provided the necessary funds for her surgery and recovery but also brought hope to a family facing immense hardship. 

Thanks to your kindness, Winny has a chance to heal and return to her community. On behalf of Winny, her family, and everyone at the hospital, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your invaluable support. Your generosity is truly life-changing.