The family of Charles Obwogi, a former athlete and coach who is battling prostate cancer, is seeking financial assistance to cover his mounting medical bills.
Before becoming a coach, the 69-year-old Obwogi competed in 100m, 200m and 400m races.
As head coach, he is remembered for guiding the national team that competed in a marathon in Ethiopia in 2004, and also during the Chiba International Ekiden in Japan in 2006.
Obwogi served as the national team’s assistant coach during the World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain, in 2011.
However, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019, which resulted in kidney failure.
“We have never known peace since 2019 when it was established that he was suffering from prostate cancer and kidney failure. We have since exhausted all our resources,” his younger brother Jackson Obiri told Nation Sport.
According to Obiri, the family had spent over Sh1 million since the brother became ill. Obwogi has been undergoing kidney dialysis twice a week at Kisii County’s Chistamarianne Mission Hospital, which has left his family financially depleted.
Each dialysis session costs Sh15, 000, therefore, he needs Sh30, 200 for two sessions a week, excluding the cost of medication.Alongside dialysis, Obwogi is also undergoing chemotherapy at the same facility.
“We require another Sh1 million to treat him. We need cash for medication and for attending clinics. We will appreciate a lot if we get support from well-wishers,” Obiri said.
The family was disappointed that it had received no assistance from the government or Athletics Kenya (AK).
