Kenyan hospital waives boy’s $600K medical bill as birthday gift

It was the perfect birthday gift for Unny Mutune Nyaata after Kenya's Mater Hospital waived a Sh66 million (over 600,000 dollars) medical bill and released her son who was celebrating his fourth birthday.

Four years ago, the new mother was holding her then 10-week-old son when the vehicle they were traveling in rammed a stationary lorry near the Kenyatta University Hospital.

Jordel Maua’s hands were ripped off and he suffered serious spinal injuries forcing him to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Mater Hospital together with her mother, who was luckily discharged a week later.

Her son was not as lucky.

After the accident, the mother and son were rushed to Jacaranda Hospital for first aid and later transferred to Mater for specialized treatment.

The mother of one, who has since the accident, been updating her followers and well-wishers on social media narrated how the accident happened.

“Jordel was born on March 29, 2017. He was a calm baby but didn’t sleep much. I was overwhelmed with emotion to be blessed with a boy. I was looking forward to seeing him grow, experience milestones and create memories.

"I hoped our future would only offer the best. Our happiness was, unfortunately, short-lived. Just after Jordel’s 10-week immunisation, we had an accident. It was a normal weekend and we drove to Utawala to check out some property. We spent most of the day there,” she said after the accident.

“I didn’t have Jordel in my arms when I came here but I was told he was fine. He was in the ICU and I was in the HDU. I was able to see him after a week and doctors explained that he had sustained brain and spinal injuries that required surgery,” says Nyaata, who escaped with facial injuries and muscle pains, narrated then.

Until recently when he was transferred to the general ward, the ICU had been Jordel’s home since June 10, 2017. He does not know the warmth of a home and has missed milestones such as birthdays.

On his fourth birthday, Mater Hospital organised a birthday gift for him, the gift was to be his release from the hospital beds to go home after almost four years in the wards.

“Dear Jordel, three years 10 months, that’s how long you have been away from home. Every year I have made the same wish, may you come home my little one. Today the one thing that I was starting to see impossible has happened. What better gift on this day than to take you home with me,” the overjoyed mother penned a heartfelt letter to him.

She, at the same time, thanked the hospital for the goodwill gesture of waiving the hospital bill and taking care of her son to live and see another day.

“You gave my son a fighting chance. You never gave up on my son. You gave my son a home away from home. Because of you, my life hasn’t been that bad, well real emotional roller coaster, but how you took care of my son always made it easier. My son has joined me and a bill of over Sh66 million completely written off. No words can express my appreciation nor joy right now. Am home now with my son laying next to me,” she wrote.

She expressed gratitude to Mater Hospital for taking care of her son and for their patience and diligence.

“All the years I have walked those corridors with doubt and wavering faith when I was so drained to continue … you reassured me. You held on with me, you understood me. Mater fraternity you are a true blessing to my son and I, you are our Guardian Angel. I wish I could mention all your names here but in all know that we got you at heart. The love you showed us am still in awe. My son is truly blessed to have been part of such a family all these years. Apparently, today of all days can’t seem to find the right words,” she added.

Last year, Facebook funds mobiliser Ndungu Nyoro called upon Kenyans to come together and help the now single mother after the incident cost her her marriage.

“The father made me choose him or our son. Obviously, I chose my son and we parted ways. He has never looked back since then, October 2017. Not something I talk much about because somehow I have never believed he abandoned his own son,” she told Nyoro.

Ndungu Nyoro posted about her predicament on his Facebook page, many Kenyans came out and they managed to raise more than Sh1 million in 24 hours!

“I have been itching to write this update all day. Because this is what we have prayed and desired to see happening in the last five months,” he shared on Monday after baby Jordel was released from the hospital.