The family of the late media personality Lorna Irungu will set up a foundation to honour her and keep her legacy alive.
The family made the announcement in a statement on Friday, March 26 saying that the foundation would be dedicated to two causes that were close to the deceased's heart.
"The improvement of health policies and support for people living with autoimmune diseases, and the advancement of the rights of women and girls -particularly in leadership and politics," reads an excerpt of the statement.
Irungu died on Monday, March 22, after suffering Covid-19 related complications.
The Gina Din Group CEO had been a lupus survivor for over 20 years and had undergone several kidney transplants.
She underwent her first kidney transplant in 1998 at Nairobi Hospital after her father donated the organ to her. In 2000, the kidney got infected and her sister offered her another.
The kidney would fail in 2007 and this saw her brother donate his. However, the procedure was expensive locally, forcing her to send emails of her medical history to countries abroad.
Irungu was lucky when doctors at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, India, responded to her calls, leading to a successful transplant in 2008.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has mourned the deceased as an outstanding citizen who used her talent and influence to advance national interests.
He stated that as a skillful and knowledgeable journalist, Lorna used her career in the entertainment industry to create space for Kenyan artists across the performing arts and worked tirelessly to promote women’s voices in media and leadership.
The Head of State recalled Lorna playing active roles in getting young people registered to vote, engaging women across the country to pass Kenya’s 2010 constitution and advocacy that led to the passing of the Sexual Offenses Bill in 2006.
“I have known Lorna for many years and admired her fighting spirit despite the health challenges she faced. She is an inspiration to us all not to give up when things get tough,” the President eulogised.
