This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
Surviving the Unthinkable ¶
On September 21, 2013, Dan Matakaya's life took a drastic turn when his wife poured sulphuric acid solution on his face while he was fast asleep in their home in Kisii.
As he recalled to the BBC, 'After she poured acid on me, I tried to reach out for water but she had poured water on the floor and connected power. She wanted me to be electrocuted. I screamed for help and my neighbors took me to hospital.'
Matakaya was rushed to Hema hospital in Kisii, where he received first aid and was later transferred to Kakamega County Hospital and then to Kenyatta National Hospital for advanced treatment.
It was during the process of hospital transfers that Matakaya lost his sight due to the acid continuing to work on his eyes.
A Long and Arduous Road to Recovery ¶
At Kenyatta National Hospital, Matakaya underwent 15 surgeries between September 2013 and February 2014, including grafting and removing tissues from other parts of his body to help the burns heal from the inside.
Despite the surgeries, Matakaya's condition was not fully stabilized, and he required further treatment. He was assigned a nurse to tend to him for six months while he was at home, but he still required multiple surgeries to address the contractures and stiffness in his hands and neck.
Doctors also attempted to open up his nostrils, but they closed again a few days later. In 2015, Matakaya underwent surgery on his nose at Kenyatta hospital, but the procedure was unsuccessful.
From Despair to Hope ¶
After the second unsuccessful surgery, Matakaya began to contemplate suicide, feeling that he had lost hope. However, his conscience intervened, and he reconciled his mind to the idea of living.
With the help of counseling, Matakaya began to understand the value of life and eventually founded the Dan Shieshie Foundation in 2016 to help men who have been victims of domestic violence.
On August 25, 2019, Matakaya appealed to Kenyans on social media for financial aid through the hashtag #TembeaNaDan, raising Sh120,000 of the Sh600,000 he was seeking.
However, his silver lining came on September 10, 2019, when he received full medical sponsorship by Face Forward International, allowing him to undergo special surgery to open up his nostrils in Beverly Hills, California.
As he expressed his gratitude, 'God answered my prayers for a fully funded plastic surgery and I am in the States awaiting my surgery on Friday. I'm hopeful this one will go well.'
