On October 31st 2015, Kenneth Binyavanga Wainaina, suffered a stroke at his home and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Karen Hospital. His speech was affected, and he needed to undergo MRI and CT scans, in addition to round the-clock observation. The doctors recommended medicinal treatment and specialized speech therapy. Binyavanga was discharged on Friday 6th November.

On Friday 13th November, he developed some physical difficulties arising from the

stroke. Following a scheduled appointment with a neurosurgeon, he was admitted to Nairobi Hospital for further observation and was immediately checked into ICU for 24 hours and upon stabilization, moved into the general ward. Doctors advised that Binyavanga has a chronic condition that affects the blood vessels to the brain making him susceptible to blockages and strokes. They also stated that an immediate intervention is required before extensive therapy beyond first-stage treatment.

Over the last two weeks, Binyavanga’s colleagues, family and friends have been working to avail the best medical care possible for him. He is now scheduled to travel to Bangalore, India, through a hospital-to-hospital transfer, where further tests will be conducted with the possibility of surgery. This will be followed by rehabilitation, recuperation and basic care.

From a preliminary assessment of the costs of travel (for him, an accompanying family member, doctor and nurse with their equipment), tests, medication, basic care, speech therapy and a period of recuperation, it was established that $30,000( Approx Ksh 3 Million) is required for his evacuation and a further $20,000 (Approx Ksh 2 Million) in a month's time. We now know that costs for post treatment care will rise and will be seeking a longer-term insurance solution given this pre-existing condition and the need for ready access to world-class care.

We have raised the initial amount of $30,000 (Approx Ksh 3 Million) needed for his immediate care. Efforts are still in place to raise a larger target now in excess of USD 75,000 (Approx Ksh 7.5 Million) as he will require extensive post-treatment care.

Medical fund accounts have been established in Binyavanga Wainaina’s name under Kwani Trust where all financial donations can be sent. We would appreciate your pledges and donations as soon as possible. Please see account details for the BINYAVANGA WAINAINA MEDICAL FUND below and feel free to seek further information from the contacts below:

Bank Name: Commercial Bank Of Africa (CBA)
Account Name: Binyavanga Med. Fund
• KES (Kenya Shillings) Account: 6564760155
• USD (US Dollar) Account: 6464760168

Bank Transfer Information (Applicable to both accounts)
SWIFT CODE: CBAFKENX
BANK CODE: 07
BRANCH CODE: 000
WESTLANDS BRANCH

Paypal (Visa, Mastercard, Discover or Amex) and mobile money transfer :
From Kenya: text BINYA to 22231
From elsewhere: Please visit bit.ly/binyamedicalfund

Since we opened up the appeal to the public, there has been a huge outpouring of love for Binyavanga. Please circulate this update to your networks if you can. There are several fundraising events underway all over the world, including Kwani Trust’s benefit concert featuring Fokn Bois in Nairobi on Saturday 5th December.

For updates, please follow us on twitter: @kwanitrust

For further Information, please contact: Angela Wachuka & Billy Kahora on medicalfund@kwani.org