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Shadrack Otieno and Lahash Representative Edwin Angote give the thumbs up as they get ready to leave the hospital
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Eating noodles is fun, but can get a little messy sometimes
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Shadrack shows the incision made for his brain surgery
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Shadrack and Karen, a teacher from the Tenderfeet School (April 2, 2007)
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Shadrack flashes a smile to show he's doing well after his brain surgery (March 30, 2007)
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Shadrack in his room as he recovers from the procedure to fix his brain abscess (March 30, 2007)
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Shadrack helps younger classmates learn their numbers
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Dr. Nganga checks out Shadrack at a recent appointment, with Mama Margaret offering encouragement
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Shadrack with friends from Tenderfeet
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Mama Margaret, who operates the Tenderfeet school where Shadrack is a student, teaches the kids about numbers
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Mama Margaret takes Shadrack and his cousin Natalie to the zoo to see the crocodiles and ostriches
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Kibera, where Shadrack lives, is part of Nairobi, Kenya
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An alley in Kibera
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Mama Margaret, Shadrack, and classmates
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Who is Shadrack?
Shadrack Otieno is an orphan living in the largest slum in Africa. He has diabetes and had a brain abscess which required surgery on March 28, 2007. The surgery was successful and he had almost three years of great health.
In January of 2010, he had a big setback which required two more surgeries. He is now on the road to recovery.
Latest News: March 8, 2010
Shadrack's Grandmother and Shadrack To read the full story of his time in the hospital, please click here.
Shadrack still has a tough road ahead as he recovers from his stroke-like symptoms. He has difficulty getting around, and cannot speak or swallow.
However, the doctors feel that he no longer needs to be in the hospital, because the abscess drainage issue has been addressed with the two brain surgeries.
A wheelchair was purchased and Shaddy will receive home nursing assistance for the next three months. Over that time, the home nurse will help with the feeding and Shadrack is expected to continue his recovery.
Thank you for your prayers, concern, and financial assistance. His life has literally been saved because of such wonderful friends and the contributions to his medical care. Additional donations will help with the ongoing care for Shadrack.
If you want to help with ongoing medical expenses, please donate at this link. Please make sure to type "Shadrack" in the "Donation Destination" box. All funds received will go exclusively to Shadrack's medical needs.
To see how to fill out the donation options, please scroll down for a screenshot.
Leaving Hospital
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Previous News: August 26, 2009
Children of Gitonga with Shadrack
An update is long overdue, but you can always email dmitchell@lahash.net to find out the latest on Shadrack. Also, there is always news about Tenderfeet and all the kids at the Tenderfeet blog.
Shadrack is still attending the Treeside school. An article was written about Treeside here.
Shadrack has learned so much about being independent and improved his social skills tremendously. He was always a sweet boy, but sometimes because of his brain problem, his behavior could be difficult for those around him. That's no longer the case.
When Shadrack comes home for school breaks, he stays with Mama Margaret and her family. Also staying with Margaret are the children of Jeremiah Gitonga, see picture above. These children were in a desperate situation, but now thanks to sponsors, they are going to good schools and benefitting from a great home environment -- just like Shadrack.
Previous News: July 27, 2008
Shadrack and friends at Treeside
Just a quick update to let all the friends of Shadrack know that he continues to do great. He is still attending boarding school at Treeside, thanks to Corby's Castle. When Shadrack goes in for appointments, the doctors emphasize keeping his weight under control.
When he's at home during school breaks, Mama Margaret watches his diet closely. She makes sure he eats lots of vegatables instead of the Kenyan staples of high-carb Ugali and high-fat fried Chapati.
She has encouraged the staff at Treeside to keep an eye on what Shadrack eats. Overall, this is a fairly small problem related to his diabetes. In general, we are all delighted by the fact his health is terrific.
Previous News: February 19, 2008
Shadrack in his
The results of the MRI in November showed that Shadrack had completely recovered from the surgery and we can now say the surgery was a total success. Please click here to view the summary report.
As of early February, Shadrack began attending a special boarding school in northern Nairobi called The Treeside School.
Treeside is aimed at educating children like Shadrack who have special challenges. Due to setbacks caused by his brain abscess, doctors have recommended Shadrack go to a school like Treeside to help him make the best progress with respect to his developmental needs.
The school is a bit expensive, but thanks to Corby's Castle, the fees can be paid.
Shadrack was so excited about Treeside from the moment he saw it, and particularly loved the playground. Since there were no playgrounds in Kibera, he considers it a very special aspect of the school.
Latest News: November 18, 2007
Shadrack has an MRI in November
November is an important month for Shadrack. He will have an MRI on November 22 to evaluate his progress. Since his brain surgery in March, he's been doing great, without suffering even one seizure.
At this point, the neurosurgeon wants to ensure that after 8 months, the brain has healed properly. Please pray for Shadrack, that the MRI will go well and his progress will continue.
Shadrack's medical expenses are being covered by his sponsor, Corby's Castle, a Christian youth group in Houston. We thank God for these wonderful young people.
Previous News: July 26, 2007
The upcoming month of August is the last month that Shadrack is taking his medication, which is quite expensive. Because Shadrack is doing so well, after August, the doctors will take him off of the medicine, and evaluate how his body responds. The hope is that he won't have any further significant problems with his diabetes or seizures. This represents a huge step forward for Shadrack!
Unfortunately, the balance in the Shadrack medical fund is now down to zero. So any donations to help with Shadrack's ongoing medical expenses, which include medication, doctor's appointments, and transportation, will be deeply appreciated. Please email dmitchell@lahash.net if you are interested.
More News We are now keeping all the older news on a separate web page. Please click here to read all the Shadrack news in recent months.
More About Shadrack Shadrack lives in a
slum where residents have almost no access to running water, indoor plumbing, or sanitation services. His parents have both passed away. But these aren't the only big problems in this precious boy's life. In November 2006, Shadrack found out he needed brain surgery. That news would be scary for any child, but especially for an orphan in Kibera, Kenya, where even basic needs are rarely met. Kibera, part of
the city of Nairobi, is the largest slum in Africa. Its residents
endure harrowing living conditions. There, more than 30% of the people
are infected with HIV. There, electricity and garbage disposal are
almost nonexistent, and raw sewage pools in the roads where children
run barefoot. There, a child with Shadrack's medical situation has very
little chance of survival. Help for Shadrack The wonderful news is that the funds for the surgery were donated and the surgery has taken place. See above for more news.
You can make a PayPal donation by clicking on the button below:
You may prefer to write a check. If so, please mail it to the address below; please write Shadrack in the memo.
Lahash Representative for Tenderfeet: The
Tenderfeet Children's Center is associated with Lahash International, a
non-profit 501(c)(3) grassroots organization that partners with compassionate East Africans
to tackle the health, educational and social issues facing the poorest
citizens of their country. 
Treeside Uniform
Kenya Programs
16506 FM 529, #130
Houston, TX 77095
713-584-3975
dmitchell@lahash.net
