A restored dream- the story of Kiprono, Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit
cbm-funded partner project restores sight to Kenyan student
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- An eye patient in Kenya receives attention © CBM
Kiprono always wanted to be a lawyer. His dream was to open a law firm in his home town of Nakuru in the fertile farming area of central Kenya. His older brother had already travelled abroad to study medicine in Germany, but Kiprono wanted to remain in Kenya to study law at the University of Nairobi. Both of his parents were shopkeepers in Nakuru and he observed the value of hard work and determination in their daily lives.
Kiprono began suffering from allergies in his eyes during his second year of high school. He attended Nakuru Boys High School, not far from the famous Lake Nakuru National Park. He excelled in his studies, ranking 30th in a class of 300 students. However, the itching became so intense that he began to experience difficulty studying. Finally he sought help from the eye doctors at the Provincial General Hospital in Nakuru.
His doctor tried more than five different medicines to control his ocular allergies. Over the next three years, Kiprono used powerful steroid eye drops almost every day to relieve the itching in his eyes. But not long after his 18th birthday, his vision began to blur. Over the next three months, it worsened progressively to the point that he wasn’t able to read at all. He returned to his eye doctor, who discovered cataracts developing in both eyes.
The doctor immediately referred Kiprono to the Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit near Nairobi to determine whether cataract surgery would be helpful. But for Kiprono, the examination for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education was less than one month away, and he desperately needed to continue studying. He pleaded with the ophthalmologist to postpone the cataract surgery until after the exam.
Kiprono's doctors tried out several vision devices, including stand magnifiers and spectacle-mounted magnifiers. However, he was unable to read with them. There was no alternative- Kiprono had to undergo surgery, or risk failing the exam. The ophthalmologist performed cataract surgery on his left eye that very afternoon. The next morning, a smiling Kiprono told the doctor that his vision had already improved.
Since he was slightly short-sighted, he was able to read without any spectacles. At last he could resume his studies. Kiprono’s dream of being a lawyer had been restored, thanks to a cbm-supported project, the Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit. cbm urgently needs your help to continue to help those like Kiprono to fulfil their dreams.
cbm currently provides assistance to over 18 million worldwide, and has supported over 34 partner projects in Kenya over 30 years, helping people through long term partners and staff on the ground. As cbm celebrates 100 years of restoring hope to people with disability around the world, let us look to the future together.
Kiprono began suffering from allergies in his eyes during his second year of high school. He attended Nakuru Boys High School, not far from the famous Lake Nakuru National Park. He excelled in his studies, ranking 30th in a class of 300 students. However, the itching became so intense that he began to experience difficulty studying. Finally he sought help from the eye doctors at the Provincial General Hospital in Nakuru.
His doctor tried more than five different medicines to control his ocular allergies. Over the next three years, Kiprono used powerful steroid eye drops almost every day to relieve the itching in his eyes. But not long after his 18th birthday, his vision began to blur. Over the next three months, it worsened progressively to the point that he wasn’t able to read at all. He returned to his eye doctor, who discovered cataracts developing in both eyes.
The doctor immediately referred Kiprono to the Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit near Nairobi to determine whether cataract surgery would be helpful. But for Kiprono, the examination for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education was less than one month away, and he desperately needed to continue studying. He pleaded with the ophthalmologist to postpone the cataract surgery until after the exam.
Kiprono's doctors tried out several vision devices, including stand magnifiers and spectacle-mounted magnifiers. However, he was unable to read with them. There was no alternative- Kiprono had to undergo surgery, or risk failing the exam. The ophthalmologist performed cataract surgery on his left eye that very afternoon. The next morning, a smiling Kiprono told the doctor that his vision had already improved.
Since he was slightly short-sighted, he was able to read without any spectacles. At last he could resume his studies. Kiprono’s dream of being a lawyer had been restored, thanks to a cbm-supported project, the Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit. cbm urgently needs your help to continue to help those like Kiprono to fulfil their dreams.
cbm currently provides assistance to over 18 million worldwide, and has supported over 34 partner projects in Kenya over 30 years, helping people through long term partners and staff on the ground. As cbm celebrates 100 years of restoring hope to people with disability around the world, let us look to the future together.
