A family from Gakoe village in Gatundu North, Kiambu County that has been suffering from hereditary blindness, is now calling on researchers to help them unravel the mystery that has befallen them for decades.
Rosemary Wangui, a 59-year-old mother of four, was born with the ailment and has never managed to see the light due to the condition she believes could be hereditary.
All her four daughters suffered a similar fate and have unsuccessfully undergone several surgeries in search of answers.
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"My daughters and I, don't see and this factor behind our condition is unknown. I was born blind and my daughters also turned out blind. I believe there is a layer that our creator forgot to install as He created us," Wangui said.
Speaking at their home when a well-wisher visited them with food donations to help them cope with the harsh economic situation, Wangui narrated a heart-wrenching story of the challenges she has had to grapple with to bring up the daughters, who despite the condition are full of life.
To bring up the children, Wangui said she has had to endure dismissal of her daughters from school over failure to cope with others, financial constraints among other psychological issues.
Nancy Muthoni, a neighbour, stated that neighbours have been giving Wangui a helping hand as her physically challenged children are in school.
"We have tried to do everything possible to support this family but at times people get tired and Wangui is then left cornered to the wall," Muthoni said.
Wangui and her neighbours have called on researchers to help the family unravel the mystery to ensure the next generations have the ability to see like other people.
Speaking to K24 digital when he also visited the family, St Paul's University Counselling Psychology lecturer Professor Ndung'u Ikenye termed the condition as a trans-generational transmission of pathology.
Ikenye who promised to help the children and their mother pursue specialised medical tests to determine their real condition said the problem will require concerted effort of various health stakeholders.
"This condition has been inherited by three generations now. It's sad that the family cannot stand on it's own owing to the condition they never created but found themselves in.
As I start a journey to help them pursue specialised medical checks, well-wishers can continue to help them with food items as they also continues to suffer from harsh economic effects precipitated by Covid-19," Professor Ikenye, who is also eyeing the Gatundu North Constituency parliamentary seat, said.
