NTV's Grace Msalame, on Saturday night, May 2, tugged at the heartstrings of thousands of Kenyans, on the latest episode of her Unscripted Show.
Msalame had travelled to Kerugoya to speak to Eunice Chebi - a mother of 6, whose entire life changed when her daughter, Carol, was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis (MS) - a rare disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
Trying her best not to just breakdown in tears, Eunice narrated her challenges over the last decade.
"She was diagnosed back when she was in Form Three, she was 17 years old at the time (2007). I took her to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) where a neurologist told us that they could not determine her underlying condition prior to seeing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) results.
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"KNH didn't have the equipment to carry this out so we were referred to Nairobi Hospital where we learned that the scan cost Ksh25,000," Eunice recalled.
The former Telkom Kenya employee had been retrenched a year before her lastborn daughter fell sick and only had Ksh5,000 at the time.
She finally raised the money but was advised to take her to a health centre in Jamhuri area, where the MRI scan was cheaper.
The results confirmed the doctor's worst fears as it proved that Carol was suffering from MS, a disease that has changed both Carol and her mum's life forever.
At first, Eunice could not understand the disease due to just how rare the condition is. The medication she was prescribed went for Ksh6,000 per dose, which contributed to her moving upcountry just to be able to survive.
Despite her tears and sad tale, Eunice maintained that if asked to change anything, she would not change her daughter's path as she is a woman of faith who believes that all she has been through is for the glory of God.
On her biggest challenge, she highlighted Carol's need for diapers as the most pressing concern, further adding that regular visits from a physiotherapist had also proven to be a difficult and expensive undertaking.
Eunice revealed that they had acquired a special seat for Carol to aid her in relieving herself, but pointed out that diapers were necessary as she couldn't use the seat for more than an hour, as her feet often swell.
Msalame then went into Eunice's house where she interviewed the jovial Carol, asking her to live out her dream of becoming a journalist by addressing the country.
"Thank you mum and God bless you. I wish I could cook and feed myself," Carol said, leaving her mum and Msalame in tears.
Amazingly, Carol went back and completed her secondary school studies and sat for her KCSE, going on to score a grade of C-Minus.
Msalame, Carol and Eunice went on to sing out an emotional rendition of 'Lord I Need You', with the high-spirited girl maintaining that she was sure she would overcome her illness one day by God's grace.
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