Ray of Hope: Mum and Sick Baby Fly to India for Life-Changing Heart Surgery After Financial Appeal

• Shantele Kemboi, a one-year-old girl from Kimose, Mogotio, was born with a congenital heart condition.
• On Monday, March 31, she and her mother, Mary Lagat, journeyed to India for a crucial surgical procedure.
• The operation in India costs KSh 2 million, with SHA providing coverage of KSh 500,000, which means the family needs to come up with an additional KSh 1.5 million.

A household from Kimose, within the Mogotio Constituency in Baringo County, now sees a glimmer of hope for their one-year-old daughter suffering from a congenital heart condition.

A month following their efforts to secure funding for her medical expenses overseas, Shantele Kemboi journeyed to India alongside her mother, Mary Lagat, for surgical procedures.

Throughout February, Mary and her daughter made Kenyatta National Hospital their temporary residence as they waited for approval to travel to India for the critical operation needed by the young girl.

The worried mother mentioned that her daughter’s heart condition made her frail and struggling with feeding properly compared to her twin brother or other children of the same age.

“She mentioned that her breathing isn’t typical, she frequently has a fever, and she feels extremely fatigued following breastfeeding,” she stated according to a Citizen TV report.

Gideon Kemboi, Shantele's father, mentioned that she was born with a heart ailment.

He spoke about the economic challenges they encountered in providing her with the necessary treatment, mentioning that they would have sought help in India sooner if they had been financially capable.

"She has a gap in her heart, and medical professionals mention that her oxygen-rich blood gets mixed with her oxygen-poor blood, which isn’t normal. We couldn't save up enough money to get her the necessary operation promptly since raising such funds independently was beyond our means," stated Kemboi.

"It wasn’t an easy situation. We were informed that her surgery was scheduled for February, but we felt helpless since it would cost KSh 2 million, a sum we couldn’t afford," explained Shantele’s mother.

What method is being used to cover the costs of Shantele’s surgery in India?

Kemboi mentioned that they had contacted MIOT Hospital in India, where his daughter’s operation is set to take place. The facility has permitted the family to bring Shantele there as they continue fundraising for her medical expenses.

"I remain optimistic that after arriving in India with my child, we will be able to address the remaining issues subsequently," he stated.

The Social Health Authority (SHA) will fund only KSh 500,000 out of the needed KSh 2 million, leaving the family responsible for raising an additional KSh 1.5 million to provide treatment for the little girl.

Consequently, they are counting on fundraising efforts initiated by relatives, acquaintances, and community figures to provide their daughter a better shot at life.

The Member of Parliament for Mogotio, Reuben Kiborek, expressed gratitude to his constituents for backing Shantele’s medical care, adding that they remain ready to assist the family if necessary.

He accompanied them to the airport on Monday, April 1, as they left for India.