Kidney ailment survivor does not want to see others suffer

The PCEA Kikuyu dialysis unit was born out of Nacharia Gakuru’s illness.

Gad Njenga said he is happy to have saved his aunt’s life.

“I am glad she is well and being a kidney donor, I would encourage others to do the same. You can live well with one kidney.”

While visiting the Njenga family at the Royal London Hospital, Macharia learnt of a younger donor, Hellen Adhiambo, at the same hospital.

Ms Adhiambo had donated to her sister Michelle Anyango who suffered a renal failure at 20 and was on dialysis for four years.

“I was to be the donor to my daughter, unfortunately I was disqualified due to high blood pressure which I have had for long,” their father George Onyango said.

Helen said it is no big deal that she saved her sister’s life. “With the right information we should all help save lives.”

 Lack of information

Macharia, who has written several books on kidney transplants, feels this mind-set of declining to donate organs has to change.

He underscored the importance of educating our communities on the importance of donating their organs.

“The challenge Kenyans and many Africans face is lack of information and they need to be educated on issues of organ donation and transplantation,” he says.

“People do not know that just one kidney is sufficient for a person to live a healthy life. Whilst we have two kidneys, the other one is a bonus.

“Kenyans at home or abroad need to engage in the difficult debate regarding organ donation and transplantation.

“We can transplant the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, eye tissue (cornea), bone and bone marrow, skin, heart valves, bowel, tendons and ligaments.”

Macharia and his team have established Kidney Research Kenya UK Chapter which is playing a pivotal role in providing a support network to assist patients back home.

Positive change

He once tried to help install a more equipment for kidney failure at a Kikuyu town hospital, but was disappointed by the response.

“We sent transplant doctors from the UK to make an assessment and find ways of equipping the hospital theatres, but I got frustrated at the slow pace things were moving.”

But Macharia still pressed on.

“I donated land to our organisation Kidney Research Kenya in Ruiru so that a full kidney care centre, complete with a place to accommodate interns from Europe and America.”

He laments that the current system in Kenya is “very rigid and from the patient’s eye, very sad.”

His main thrust is to present a positive change from primary healthcare upwards.

 Superior facilities

The aim of Kidney Research Kenya is to provide free dialysis and kidney transplant to the least fortunate and those who cannot afford such services, he says, and adds that he is confident that will be achieved.

“Our plans caught the attention of a Kiambu County minister who travelled to England to meet us. Shortly thereafter, a founder of one of the universities in central Kenya also came along, and they were impressed with the idea and want to get on board.”

In December, a meeting was held in the US and this boosted Macharia’s efforts to develop superior kidney facilities in Kenya.

Vision is clear

“The meetings were very successful. We will set our pilot project in Kiambu County then we will roll it to the rest of Kenya and East Africa. We are organising a similar meeting in the UK to meet our partners Kings College Hospital London and Transplant link early in 2015,” Macharia says.

Initially when he fell ill, Macharia knew he needed to do something about the plight of those experiencing kidney problems. His vision became clear with his plans to set up dialysis unit at Kikuyu.

Macharia plans to travel to Kenya mid next month with his partners from University of Toledo and Alliance for Paired Donation.

“We want to hit the ground running and our sincere hope is that all people who are involved in kidney health from professors, consultants, doctors, nurses, and those who run dialysis services will join hands with us to arrest the menace of kidney disease,” he said.

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