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Little Princess battling Leukemia returns from India untreated due to lack of funds


Four year-old Princess Josephine Macharia returned home over the weekend having only attended a quarter of the required treatment sessions in India after her parents ran out of money.

Princess Josephine’s plight was first highlighted by Nairobi News on October 15 when her father appealed to Kenyans to help him raise Sh4.7 million for the treatment of his only daughter.

The girl started ailing in March 2014 and was diagnosed with Leukemia in September same year.

SOLD OFF ASSETS

During an emotional interview, Julius Macharia had narrated how he had sold off all his assets to finance the numerous chemotherapy sessions his daughter had gone through.

He had also fundraised from family and friends to pay for a percentage of the funds used to send the little princess and her mother to India.

The four year-old girl and her mother landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday evening after a ten hour  flight.

Julius Macharia (right) his wife  Caroline Mukiri (middle) and their four year-old daughter Princess Josephine Macharia at JKIA on December 04, 2015. PHOTO | COURTESY
Julius Macharia (right) his wife Caroline Mukiri (middle) and their four year-old daughter Princess Josephine Macharia at JKIA on December 04, 2015. PHOTO | COURTESY

Despite the joy on the little princess’ face, her parents knew all too well that they need to raise more funds that will see her undergo the much needed bone marrow transplant.

“So far she has only been undergoing chemotherapy sessions that were required before the transplant is done,” Princess’ mother Caroline Mukiri told Nairobi News.

TRANSPLANT

Asked if the tests to find a bone marrow march ahead of the transplant were done, Ms Mukiri said the doctors at Artemis Hospital had told her that the test would be carried out after months of chemotherapy sessions.

“At first when we were leaving for India we thought that all we needed was bone marrow transplant. But when we arrived we were told the active cancer cells had multiplied and required seven months of chemotherapy to reduce them first,” narrated the mother.

For now Ms Mukiri and her husband are weighing alternative ways to raise the millions required  for the treatment of little princess.

LACK OF FUNDS

“I fear that the costs may increase because we have had to stop the chemotherapy sessions due to lack of funds,” added Ms Mukiri.

The Macharia family runs a catering business and are calling on Kenyans to support them by contracting them to cook in events to raise the money.

The family has also registered Paybill number 563 596 where well-wishers can donate by entering their (the donor’s) personal ID number as the account number.

The paybill is registered under Princess Josephine Medical Fund.

Those donating through the bank can deposit funds to account number 0710164375127, name Princess Josephine Medical Fund at Equity Bank Githurai 45 Branch.