Rosemary Odinga: I was living in darkness

Rosemary Odinga.

Rosemary Odinga, daughter to opposition leader Raila Odinga, has regained her eyesight after undergoing treatment in India.

The 44-year-old Rosemary suffered a stroke in 2017 as a result of a brain tumour that damaged her optic nerve and ultimately led to the loss of vision.

Rosemary would then embark on the search for curative treatment but without success. She had sought treatment in South Africa, Israel and China, all of which proved futile.

Rosemary was recounting her experience on India television channels DD India, and Don News earlier this week, where she said she travelled to India in 2019 on the recommendation of a family friend.

Upon reaching India, she immediately commenced treatment at Sreedhareeyam Eye Hospital. Last week, doctors at the hospital announced that Rosemary had experienced miraculous healing and regained her sight.

“Rosemary came here in 2019 and got treatment for a month and went back home. Then the Covid-19 pandemic started so she could not travel and had to continue with the medication from Kenya,” said Dr Narayanan Namboothiri, Chief Physician at Sreedhareeyam hospital.

“Last week she came here and started the treatment again. I have met her and her vision has considerably improved. She told me that she can now see me and can see colour and letters,” he added.

Vice-chairman of Sreedhareeyam Hospital, Hari N. Namboothiri, explained that within three months of using the treatment, Rosemary started to regain her eyesight.

The restoration, he said, was made possible through Ayurvedic treatment. A web search shows that Ayurveda is a traditional Indian system of medicine. It aims to preserve health and wellness by keeping the mind, body, and spirit in balance. To do so, it employs a holistic approach that combines diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

It starts with an internal purification process, followed by a special diet, herbal remedies, massage therapy, yoga, and meditation.

Rosemary Odinga.

Doctors at the hospital said when Rosemary first arrived at the hospital, she was using a white cane to navigate and could recognise people only by their touch. Now, they say, she has almost fully regained her vision and can manage on her own.

Rosemary likened her time living with the illness to “pretty much living in darkness”.

“Before the treatment, I was living in darkness. I was existing not living. I had a tumour in the brain then I had an aneurysm (a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall) which burst and caused a stroke,” she said.

“After the fact, my father heard from a friend of his that there is a treatment we can go try in India called Ayurveda. I went and got treated and after I went back to Kenya I continued with the treatment and after some time the Indian doctor called and said I should go for eye testing,” added Rosemary.

“When I arrived, they gave me glasses to wear and immediately I could see the doctor and make out letters,” she said.

ODM leader Raila Odinga, who accompanied Rosemary for treatment at the hospital in India last week, was impressed by the progress.

“The difference between 2019 when she went to India and her second visit is that there has been a big improvement on her eyesight. The doctors say there is still room for further improvement,” said Raila.