Kenyan Student Dies in China, Family Pleads for Burial Funds
The late Hadija Mati Tabalo, Kenyan medical student in China who passed away suddenly on the New Year's day. Pic courtesy of family file |
by Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted January 4, 2011
SHANGHAI, China, & LOWELL, Mass._ A young Kenyan medical student in China suddenly passed away last Friday (New year’s day in China) after a short illness, leaving her family in the USA, Botswana and Kenya devastated, and in dire need for funds to repatriate her body back home for burial.
Hadija Mati Tabalo, 22, a fourth year student at the Chongqing University in Shanghai China, was rushed to the University hospital after a sudden onset of a severe headache.
According to family sources, her Kenyan friend and roommate told them that doctors at the hospital frantically tried to treat Hadija but unfortunately she slipped into a coma, forcing them to place her onto life support a day before she passed away.
Several days before the sudden death, the late Hadija had suffered a cold fever which seemed to have gone away, said family sources while talking to Ajabu Africa News.
However, when Tabalo complained of the severe headache on the 28th of December 2010, she was rushed to the hospital where doctors started treating her.
Hadija’s condition turned for the worse on the 29th of December upon which she was placed on life support until her death on the New Year’s day.
Family sources said that according to reports from China, Hadija died of celebral meningitis.
The late Hadija was born in June 1988 to Caroline Wangari Tabulo and the late Sadique Tabulo Ruwa.
When Hadija’s father passed on, her uncle, Bursar Ruwa, took over the active role of their father in Hadija’s life.
According to her family in the US, the uncle was very supportive to the family and actively supported the late Hadija throughout her school life including her medical studies in china.
The late Hadija spent her early childhood in Kenya before relocating to Botswana together with her mother and brother soon after the death of their father in the early 90’s.
It was in Botswana where Hadija completed her high school studies after which she was admitted to the Chongqing Medical University in china to study medicine.
Hadija Mati Tabalo with friends at the Chongqing Medical University in Shanghai, China |
According to family sources, Hadija was a very hard working student who was eager to complete a life long career goal to be a doctor and help out people who get sick.
Her mother, Caroline Wangari, recently relocated from Botswana to Seattle, USA, leaving her son Tabulo Saidi Ruwa, and other extended family members in Botswana where he is currently a student at a local university.
“Her mother only arrived in Seattle 12 months ago and has become very much affected by this sudden and shocking death of her only daughter”, said Margaret Irura while speaking to Ajabu Africa news.
The late Hadija has other family members who live in Boston and are equally devastated by the sudden loss of the young and ambitious Hadija.
The family members include Jane Maina of Methuen, Octavian Irura of Lowell, Catherine Kariuki of Dracut, and Nancy Kariuki of Lowell.
She is also survived her cousins , Duncan Irura, Nancy Irura Margaret Irura, Mercy Maina, Christopher Maina, Tracy Mukami the little Jabela and Mercy Aishu all of Lowell.
The cousins and other family members had kept close contacts with Hadija while she was in china through the internet and phone calls.
Due to the unexpected death, Hadija’s family found themselves in dire need for community help to get the necessary funds to repatriate the body of their loved one back to the motherland for burial.
The situation has been more complicated since her mother needs to travel to china urgently in the company of another family member to do the paperwork with the authorities so as to get the body and make arrangements for the transportation.
The late Hadija Mati Tabalo |
The family is therefore pleading with the Kenyan community and friends in Boston Massachusetts and in Seattle Washington, as well as from other areas to help them get the necessary money for the difficult task.
The repatriation of the body is complicated by logistical challenges given the diverse geographical barriers and a mountain of paperwork involved, all which have to be overcome to make the burial happen with the respect it deserves.
“We are appealing all well wishers for prayers and financial support in this difficult time of need”, said a representative of Hadija’s family in Lowell, Mass.
Friends and family are meeting for prayers and burial planning daily one of the relatives apartment located on 716 Princeton Boulevard, Apt 1, Lowell Ma starting at 4pm.
Well wishers can deposit funds at any bank of America branches or online to help the family deal with this tragedy.
Details:
Hadija Funeral Funds
C/o Mercy Irura
Account #: 0046-1917-7566
For more info, please contact:
Octavian Irura- 978-328-4337
Catherine Kariuki- 978-885-0158
Nancy Kariuki- 978-328-7343
Duncan Irura-978-375-1516
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Hadija Mati Tabalo (extreme right) with classmates at the Chongqing Medical University in Shanghai, China . Pic courtesy of family file |
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