Mother of two needs a kidney transplant

Judith Mbabazi needs at least Shs70m to cater for her chronic renal replacement(kidney transplant) in India. PHOTO BY ABU BAKER LUBOWA

What you need to know:

FOR HELP:
For any form of assistance, Mbabazi can be reached on 0756058994. Her husband, Cosmas Okeya, can also be reached on 0782957050. Deposits can also be made to Stanbic Bank A/C no. 9030005889943 under the account names Cosmas Okeya.

In 2006, Judith Mbabazi, a mother of two children aged three and four discovered that both of her kidneys were not working effectively. Upon the discovery, the former field officer at National Social Security Fund (NSSF) then decided to halt her dream of having more children and furthering her career.

“The doctors told me that I was suffering from chronic glomerulonephritis in stage IV kidney failure,” she says.
Ever since then, she started receiving dialysis treatment on a weekly basis at Mulago hospital. This treatment performs the same function as the kidneys. The blood simply moves out of the body into the machine where it is cleaned. Then, it goes back into the body.

Diagnosis and earlier treatments
Before the kidney problem was discovered, the 34 year old says, she would often feel general body weakness and fever.

“I used to think it was malaria,” she says.
It was only after visiting International Hospital Kampala when tests were carried out and doctors discovered that her blood level was quite low.

When further tests were done, that was when the kidney problem was detected. Immediately, Mbabazi was referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital where she was put on dialysis treatment.

About six months later while at the hospital, her kidneys started responding well to the dialysis treatment. The treatment was then discontinued and instead, she started receiving oil drugs medication.

“This is the treatment I have been receiving for the last seven years. I was responding to it quite well,” she says.

Situation worsens
It was the beginning of this year when she started developing back and chest pain as well as swellings on her face.

Once again, she consulted Dr. Simon Peter Eyoku, a kidney specialist at Mulago Hospital. After tests were conducted, the doctor confirmed her worst fears that indeed her kidneys were once again failing.

“She is sick and needs that kidney transplant as soon as possible. Judith has chronic glomerulonephritis in stage IV kidney failure. It is a disorder in which you form anti bodies towards your own tissues and the tissue is her kidney. In her case she inherited it and is likely to pass it on to some of her children. But her condition used to flare up whenever she would get pregnant.
Generally kidney patients are advised not to conceive especially if one has her type of kidney condition. It flares up during pregnancy because the kidneys are not able to sustain both the mother and child,” he explains.

“She was lucky to have her children since most people with this condition are advised not to conceive but when they do they tend to lose the baby in the process or the baby will be left in the womb and when it comes to the worst, both mother and child die. My wish for her at the moment is to get the required amount of money needed for the treatment,” Dr Eyoku says.

The total cost of the whole procedure is between $27,000 (about Shs70m) and $29,000 (about Shs75m).
Mbabazi has been scheduled for chronic renal replacement in India with her sister being the kidney donor.
“I am kindly requesting for assistance from well-wishers and good Samaritans since my husband and I cannot raise such a huge sum of money all by ourselves,” she says in a low tone.

Further complications
Mbabazi is not also working at the moment. Her bosses decided to let her go because she could not handle the pressures that came with the job as well as the frequent travels that she was required to make.
Besides the kidney problem, Mbabazi has aneamia which condition requires her to do weekly tests still at the hospital.