Support for Kenly’s DSEK eye surgery

Kenly is a Zambian HIV activist based in Lusaka, Zambia. He works in advocacy for better medicines to treat AIDS, tuberculosis and other diseases that commonly affect older people and children who have HIV in poorer countries across the globe.

Kenly has had challenges with his eyesight for the past few years. His first gofundme campaign for a cornea transplant was successful. However the surgery could not be performed because he suffered a lens dislocation just as the transplant was scheduled which was priorised as emergency surgery. Furthermore, another surgery was needed to treat glaucoma before the cornea transplant could be undertaken. His eye is now stable enough to undergo the cornea surgery called Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK) eye surgery. DSEK is a less evasive procedure. It involves replacing only the innermost layer of the cornea, rather than the entire thickness of the cornea as is performed in standard full-thickness corneal transplantation.

A donor cornea has been found and surgery scheduled for May 30 2023 at the Cape Town Eye Hospital. This is the only centre in Southern Africa where this surgery can be performed.

The surgery will cost $15,000. This estimate includes surgery fees, Anesthetist, theatre, hospitalization, travel to and from Cape Town; a month’s accommodation and meals in Cape Town as he would not be able to fly back until the bubble in his eye dissipates. If Kenly were to fly out immediately after surgery, his surgery would be aggravated or damaged by cabin pressure in the aeroplane.

This estimate doesn’t include any extra expenses that he could incur such as if additional care is needed due to complications or repeat surgery is needed if the first cornea doesn’t ‘fuse’ well. It also won’t cover post op follow up visits with his surgeon, 2-3 visits after surgery over 3-6 months.

Please do donate generously and let's get Kenly his much needed surgery.