Journalist seeks help in raising Sh12m for cancer treatment

Dennis Musundi Omondi.

What you need to know:

  • Dennis had just returned from upcountry where he had been for the Christmas festivities when he began to feel ill.
  • The symptoms seemed like those of malaria and he was treated for the same but his condition worsened.
  • A second test showed bacterial infection so he was given antibiotics.
  • Two lumps in his neck later revealed the worst; leukaemia.

Dennis Musundi Omondi, a local journalist, was covering the World Aids Day in Nairobi when he jokingly rallied his colleagues to get tested too.

They agreed and when the results came out a few minutes later, he breathed a sigh of relief. His was negative. This was December 1, 2017.

Fast forward to December 28.

Dennis had just returned from upcountry where he had been for the Christmas festivities when he began to feel ill.

“I developed malaria-like symptoms. I had however expected this as every time I visit Busia and come back to Nairobi I always suffer from the disease. I visited Shalom Hospital in Athi River where I was treated for it,” he says.

All seemed well until he finished his medication but the symptoms remained persistent. “I was still running a fever a week later so I went back to Shalom where they ran more blood tests.”

The doctors told him he had an abnormal production of white and red blood cells and gave him antibiotics. The situation became worse as he developed two lumps at the back of his neck. He told his boss what was happening and was referred to the Kenya Medical Association for a consultation with Dr Walter Mwanda.

On the day of his appointment with the doctor, Dennis decided to wake up early and take his three year old daughter for her first day of school. After that, he went to the clinic where they decided to put him through more blood tests.

The initial test showed similar results to those he had seen at Shalom Hospital but an enhanced diagnosis revealed that he had acute leukaemia; cancer of the blood cells.

“Believe it or not, I wasn’t shocked because all these tests they had put me through from the beginning had not indicated what was wrong yet I knew there was something awfully wrong with my body. I now felt relieved since doctors would now know what they were treating,” Dennis says.

The only thing that troubled him was how to break the news to his wife. “Nancy is expecting our second born, so I had to be very careful with her. I left KMA and went to Kenyatta National Hospital where I was admitted. When I had settled in is when I called her and told her. Hearing her break down on phone was the hardest part.” The baby is due in May.

Dennis, 31, now needs a bone marrow transplant at a cost of Sh12million but unfortunately the treatment is not available locally. His story hit the limelight after he reached out to the president to help him raise the funds. He wrote on Twitter:

"Mr president @UKenyatta and your deputy @WilliamsRuto I need your help to get bone marrow transplant in South Africa at a cost of 12 million. After I suffered acute Leukaemia. am currently at KNH ward 10D, bed15. #Africa #AMLiveNTV @bbcswahili @citizentvkenya @RobertAlai

The journalist, who is attached to West Media, however says no one has responded. “The reason I reached out to those offices is because the state of healthcare in the country is wanting. If we had the facilities to treat my condition I would have simply walked in and been given treatment, but since now we don’t have, I want the president to tell me what next.”

The biggest lesson he has taken out of this is is that the person you least expect to be there for you is the one who will be there in times of need.


Well-wishers can send their contribution to Mpesa Paybill No 138182, Account Number 1222903350.