The best way is to contact nationmedia.com or best of all the Kenyan Ambassador to the US Mr. Ogego in Washington DC. They are very helpful.

my grandma and i just got done watching Pastina's story. it's good to know that there are people out there that can stand up for whats right. boniface is a role model for young men and i thank him for that. now like others, my granny and i were so deeply saddened by the last word on tlc. my granny literally started crying during the surgery and couldn't stop when the program was over. if anyone has information regarding the death of Pastina Ntoki, please email me at blessbme@yahoo.com.
-for i am saved by god's grace-

As all who have posted before me, I was so totally impressed with Pastina's courage and that of the cousin she was so blessed with that reading of her death shook me and sent me onto the internet to find out how she died. While that notice was abrupt, look here how many of us have come together to share our like feelings generated by the program. Bless the doctors and all who work to improve the lives of others. Perhaps the person who will be travelling to Kenya in the future can bring these notes to her cousin so that he may be comforted in knowing how highly we think of him for his devotion in trying to help her.

Has anyone inquired with the East African Standard or The Standard, the newspaper that ran the story? Contact info is online.

I just joined the forum to find out about Pastina's story. I watched the program last night and was so moved by her ordeal, as well as her strength and courage. I had surgery performed last November to remove a benign brain tumor (the size of two peas) and I know full-well the misery of such an invasive procedure; I cannot begin to fathom what this poor girl went through, pre- and post-operatively. I so wanted some happiness for her. If anyone finds out where her daughter or cousin Boniface may be reached, please post it here. I would like to send them some money as well.

I also saw Pastina's story last night. I am so grieved to hear she did not live to get the reconstructive surgery and have the happy ending to her story that we all wanted to see. It reminded me that there are so many stories out there like this that are not like TV -ones that end sadly and in seeming defeat. But, I think Pastina's story reminds us how precious our lives are and how brief. Who knows why she had to suffer so badly - not just from her tumor but from the cold heartedness of her own brothers. All I know is hearing her story somehow makes me feel more alive and more connected to others like her. In sharing her joy and suffering somehow I feel more connected and better equipped to share in the lives of those around me. God bless Boniface. You can only imagine his grief.

Isn't it amazing how one life can be so important. I was so sad that Pastina died, I had to seek out this site to talk about it. Because of Boniface and Pastina, this disorder got so much attention in her country - and so many people that had been hiding away came for help. There must have been many small communities that changed their perception, having become more aware of the number of other people with the exact same disorder. She helpled so many people, and that will only continue to spread. What an important life.

quote:

Originally posted by Holly:
I just joined the forum to find out about Pastina's story. I watched the program last night and was so moved by her ordeal, as well as her strength and courage. I had surgery performed last November to remove a benign brain tumor (the size of two peas) and I know full-well the misery of such an invasive procedure; I cannot begin to fathom what this poor girl went through, pre- and post-operatively. I so wanted some happiness for her. If anyone finds out where her daughter or cousin Boniface may be reached, please post it here. I would like to send them some money as well.

Hello, the best way is to contact the standard editors in Kenya. Make sure that you are sending money to him directly as your good intentions may not always be taken well. I would suggest contacting Dr. Onyango from Kenyatta Hospital in Kenya.

I am deeply saddened that Pastina Nkotki passed away three months after her surgery. I felt compelled to try to locate Pastina and her wonderful, loving cousin to send them a little money or something to help easen their heavy plates in life. My God what happened to Pastina?
Her cousin should become a Medical Doctor. I only wish that I had the financial means to help him become a doctor. He has the intellect and heart to accomplish this goal. I believe he should considering this in memory of his lovely, so full of life cousin Pastina. Rest in peace Pastina. May God give your Mother and little girl the strength to carry on in such a cold envrionment. Peace to all!

I am surprised at the outpour of concern and compassion for Pastina and Boniface. I saw the programme lastnight and woke up this morning with the young woman on my mind. I was very shocked to find out at the very end of the program that Pastina died. I did not like that ending and I guess I was expecting a fairytale ending. I quickly searched the internet to find out how she died. I am disappointed that she did not live to receive reconstructive surgery, get married, and become the woman she wanted to be.However, I am happy that she was able to live 3 months enjoying life and her family free of pain. I was disappointed in the males in her family for shunning her not taking control of the situation and getting her some help a lot sooner, maybe she would be alive today. God Bless Boniface for his courage and support of his cousin. I hope he did not receive anymore negative treatment from the family because of her death.

I have had friends of mine in Kenya search for Boniface for over 2 months. I am very close to finding Boniface. I am having the Mortuary check who signed for Pastinas remains. Does anyone remember the date of when Pastina died?
kbean007@aol.com

I am sad too about Pastina. I wished she had lived long enough for her story to get out so people could tell her how beautiful she is. I would like to pass that message to her daughter and cousin if anyone can get contact information.

I want to know more about Boniface, too, I guess because I want to see that his situation in life is okay. What a kind-hearted, wonderful, educated man. He deserves some kind of award or something.

I also want to know what happened to Pastina's child after she passed. I have a feeling she was probably left in the town surrounded by the superstition and ignorance that led to her mother's demise. I wonder what they tell the child about her mother. I wish to see that she's okay and hope that there isn't some kind of stigma she has to deal with because of the way her mother died.

I watched this show with my mom and both of us want to know more about this family and how we can help. I'm truly touched by the global response to this tragedy and hope that some good can come out of it, perhaps that more of us who are blessed financially might actively seek to find people suffering at the hands of poverty, sexism and racism, ignorance, and all other factors which contribute to such misfortune. I felt ashamed in knowing that in a world of endless resources, people are still forced to live the way Pastina had for so long.

This is crazy. I thought i was the only one this story touched so much. Its good to know we all felt some pain. Did you guys see how many more pple emerged after seeing Pastinas case publicized? I guess we have it so good we forget what rare conditions pple go through. If any of you wants to start an organization to help pple with this condition, feel free to include me. And Boniface? We need more of those!

I too was deeply saddened by Pastina's death. What a couragous young woman and her cousin too. I am also intersted in finding out more about Boniface.

i agree,the documentary was poorly finished ,i seem to think the young lad eric was actually followed by a bbc documentary crew last year.

i am from australia and i just saw Pastina's story. my program did not explain why she did not get the reconstructive surgery and did not even say she had died or what happened to her, just that she had a daughter and she got to finally work on the fields, and then it ended, which caused me to look her up on the internet. It is so sad that she died but at least she got to live accepted in her community and got to do what she wanted to do for even a short time.

she must've been such a strong and brave woman to go through what she did and boniface is an amazing person.

to the person who is going to/went to kenya i hope you were able to get into contact with him because he is truly an outstanding person for what he did for his cousin.

i was really touched by the show and both pastina and boniface's courage and determination

My daughter and I also watched the program on Pastina. We had no idea she had died until we got on the internet. The ending was so abrupt we wanted to see if there would be a follow up on her story. It is heartbreaking to see her go through so much, to finally find some sort of happiness and acceptance, then to die.

I hope Pastina's daughter is safe and finding her own happiness. She should be so proud of her mother for she was a strong woman.

Is there any word yet on the search for Boniface???? He sure does deserves a medal for his strength and courage. Maybe if we all took a leaf from his book the world could be a better place. I can only hope one day he will know that there are so many who think so highly of him.

Hello All, I was the Kenyan Production co-coordinator for Discovery when they filmed Pastina's story. The hospital never gave us detailed information about her death, they said maybe it was due to hard work (as someone mentioned earlier).

Boniface worked in our company for a while, now he is back to his village.

Let me know if you are still interested in keeping in touch with him and I'll let him know.

mercy@gingerink.tv