Fight for a young life

When she was four months pregnant, Sylvia Nabukenya, a manager at Saladin Media, was told by the doctors that the foetus developing in her womb had a kidney problem. This implied that she had to take many tests and have checkups until the child was born, lest she would lose it.
“The doctors told me that urine was unable to pass through the narrow urethra to the urinary bladder and this caused the back flow hence the kidney enlarging. When Amani was was seven months, the problem was corrected and she started functioning normally,” narrates Nabukenya.
When her daughter, Amani Kenkwanzi Mbabazi, turned six years of age however, some symptoms started to manifest. “She started getting nausea, double sight, vomiting and pain in the legs and general body weakness. When I took her back to the doctors, they said the kidneys needed to be corrected again and this has followed a number of reviews and tests.” She underwent a series of surgeries at Agakhan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya in vain.

A jolly little girl
When I met Kenkwanzi, it was clear there was a conversation that was growing right from the word, go! “How are you Amani?” I greeted bending well-naturedly.
“I am fine, do I know you please?” She asked confidently, looking straight in my face. My first impression is that Kenkwanzi is a very confident and out spoken young lady; a character her paternal aunt, Doreen Mwesigye, reaffirms of her. Kenkwanzi is in Primary Three and goes to Kampala Junior Academy.
“Amani is lively and opinionated,” says Mwesigye. Both her mother and aunt agree that Kenkwanzi is “full of life and honest.” Kenkwanzi is alert that morning, a wonderful story teller, and she is very selective in her dress code despite her age, according to her aunty.
“She is a model, she likes fashion and design and she is a swimmer,” a jovial Mwesigye says. Photographs shared by her mother later, confirm this.

The transplant
Nabukenaya and her family as anyone who knows the eight-year-old would, dread the thought of Kenkwanzi without these attributes that endear her. According to the latter’s doctors at Nakasero Hospital, a kidney transplant is her best option right now. “It is a very tough moment for us because we love our daughter. We have decided to have a transplant for Kenkwanzi , we are yet to decide on which hospital, between Wockahardt Hospital and Apollo Hospital, both of them found in India as recommended by the doctor,” says Mwesigye. Most of the tests have been successfully done with one final one yet to be performed at Aga Khan Hospital to confirm the donor’s health post the operation. According to Nabukenya, the whole transplant process is likely to cost between $43,000 and $45,000. Together with relatives and friends, Nabukenya is hoping to get Shs150m and have the transplant done as soon as soon as possible because the daughter’s life is deteriorating every day.

“We are organising a car wash at Panamera on the 22, April. Every car will be washed at Shs50,000.We have already had many friends sending in some mobile money and others committing to give for this noble cause. We call upon individuals, corporate companies, all the people and well-wishers to come and help stand with us as family but also stand with Amani because this is a defining moment in her life. We need to stand with her as friends, relatives and those that wish her to live!” says Nabukenya. She says that they will have another car wash in Mbarara for the same cause.

Super foods for your kidneys

There are lots of super foods, containing antioxidants and other health-supporting properties. Here’s a list of the some top kidney friendly super foods. These foods are good for everyone, not just people with kidney disease, so by using them in your family’s meals, you will be helping your loved ones enjoy good health too.
Red bell peppers
These are low in potassium and have a generous portion of vitamins A, C, B6, folic acid and fiber. They also contain the antioxidant lycopene, which protects against certain types of cancer.
Cabbage
Crunchy cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable filled with phytochemicals, chemical compounds found in certain fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals work to break apart free radicals. Many phytochemicals are believed to combat cancer and support cardiovascular health.

Cauliflower
This cruciferous vegetable brings lots of vitamin C to your plate, along with folate and fiber. In addition it contains compounds that help your liver neutralise toxic substances.
Garlic
Garlic is good for reducing inflammation and lowering cholesterol. It also has antioxidant and anti-clotting properties.
Onion
Onion is full of flavonoids, particularly quercetin. Flavonoids are natural chemicals that prevent the deposit of fatty material in blood vessels and add pigmentation (colour) to plants. Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to help reduce heart disease and protect against many forms of cancer. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Apples
An apple a day really does help keep the doctor away! High in fiber and anti-inflammatory properties, apples help reduce cholesterol, prevent constipation, protect against heart disease and decrease your risk of cancer.
Red grapes
The colour in red grapes comes from several flavonoids. These are good for your heart, because they prevent oxidation and reduce the chance of blood clots. One flavonoid in grapes, resveratrol, may boost production of nitric oxide, which increases muscle relaxation in blood vessels for better blood flow.
Egg whites
These provide the highest quality protein there is, along with all of the essential amino acids.

Fish
Another high-quality source of protein is fish. Besides being a great source of protein, fish contains anti-inflammatory fats called omega-3s. These healthy fats help prevent diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. They also help lower LDL (the bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (the good cholesterol).
Olive oil
Olive oil has good components: oleic acid, an anti-inflammatory fatty acid which protects against oxidation and polyphenols and antioxidant compounds that prevent inflammation and oxidation.

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