Philomena A., 1

Philomena was born in Kokuselei Dispensary, but she did not cry immediately after birth and strugged to breath due to a severe facial malformation. After ensuring that she had at least cried, and recognizing the urgency of her condition, she was referred to Lokitaung Hospital, 30km away. However, the hospital lacked the capacity to manage her case, prompting another transfer, this time to Lodwar County Referral Hospital, a 160 km journey. Doctors at Lodwar realized that Philomena required even more specialized care. She was referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Eldoret 390km away. Upon arrival, Philomena's mother was informed about the cost of the treatment and she realized that the cost was beyond her reach. The missionaries at Kokuselei Dispensary who were making a follow up of Philomena every step of the way, reached out to Helpster Charity, which immediately stepped in. Helpster Charity stepped in to assist, identifying PCEA Kikuyu Hospital as the best available facility within their network, whom they have a partnership with, to manage Philomena’s condition. This meant another journey of 290 km from MTRH, Eldoret to PCEA Kikuyu Hospital, Kikuyu, where she arrived in a critical condition. The fragile infant was now battling for breath. The hospital staff rushed to resuscitate her. Within a day, her condition stabilized, but PCEA was not equipped to perform the necessary surgery. With no other option, Philomena was placed in an ambulance for her final transfer—20 km to Kenyatta National Hospital. At KNH, doctors diagnosed her with a right frontal encephalocele and scheduled her for urgent surgery. As she fights for survival, social workers are working tirelessly to find a way to cover her medical expenses, as Helpster Charity does not yet have a partnership with KNH. From the remote dispensary in Kokuselei to the country’s largest referral hospital, Philomena endured a harrowing 890 km journey across Kenya in search of lifesaving care. At every stop, she faced impossible odds, but thanks to the resilience of medical teams, the support of missionaries, and the intervention of Helpster Charity, she is alive today. Her fight is not over, but every mile traveled has brought her closer to hope.

Philomena's condition was critical when she arrived at PCEA Kikuyu Mission Hospital. Although the facility was unable to provide the specialized care she required, they admitted her briefly to stabilize her before referring her to Kenyatta National Hospital for emergency, life-saving surgery. She remained at PCEA only for a few hours for resuscitation. The surgery was successfully performed at Kenyatta National Hospital, and Philomena is now steadily recovering.

Right frontal encephalocele Early surgical intervention to repair the skull defect and prevent infection can improve prognosis. The long-term outlook depends on whether there is brain damage or hydrocephalus requiring shunting.