Online Reporter
Daniel Chigunwe
Herald Correspondent
A Zimbabwean woman who recently appealed for help to undergo a kidney transplant has successfully received a new lease on life following a successful operation in India last week.
Thirty-two-year-old Primrose Mupambachuru of Mufakose, Harare, underwent a kidney transplant at Artemis Hospital in Haryana, India, after her younger brother, Tawanda Mupambachuru (20), selflessly donated one of his kidneys to save her life.
Speaking from India, the siblings’ mother, Mrs Zorodzai Mupambachuru, expressed deep gratitude to well-wishers who responded to their public appeal for financial assistance.
“As a family, our hearts and minds go out to the people of Zimbabwe and those across the borders for heeding our plea for financial assistance to have Primrose undergo the kidney transplant surgery here in India,” she said.
Mrs Mupambachuru said her daughter’s condition had deteriorated severely before travelling and the family feared the worst.
“It has not been an easy journey since 2023 when she was diagnosed with a chronic kidney condition,” she said.
“Her state was worsening each day, and in the final days before we travelled, she was collapsing and had to be resuscitated by machines.”
Despite struggling to raise the required money, the family decided to take what Mrs Mupambachuru described as “a journey of faith”.
The total cost of the transplant procedure was US$12 500, but the overall medical and logistical expenses were quoted at US$22 000.
Through a GoFundMe campaign, the family managed to raise US$8 331, which enabled the surgery to proceed.
Although the transplant was successful, the family is still appealing for more support to meet outstanding medical and post-surgery costs.
“Primrose will remain admitted for at least 10 days from last Thursday. After that, she will return for a review in three weeks, which will determine if her body is responding well to the transplant,” Mrs Mupambachuru said.
“If recovery goes well, we hope to return home soon, but she will need to continue on medication for six months, which must be bought here. We are still appealing to well-wishers to help us complete this journey.”
Primrose, a mother of one and currently unemployed, had been undergoing weekly dialysis since 2023, costing around US$300 per session, before doctors recommended a transplant as her best chance for survival.
The Mupambachuru family remains hopeful that the young mother will make a full recovery and return home soon to reunite with her child.
Peter Tanyanyiwa