THE WARREN FOUNDATION was formed following the tragic death of Master Warren Muga Asiyo, at the tender age of 14 years, on December 4th 2015 during a climbing expedition of Mt. Kenya (with a youth group from the Nairobi Chapel). The cause of death was attributed to complications of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) or
Altitude Sickness. There are a number of variations to AMS and it was during the pe
riod of profound loss that Warren’s family learned that he had succumbed to both High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), which has devastating effects on Mountain climbers. Even more startling was the realization that AMS affects hundreds of climbers globally each year; With Mt. Kenya alone, accounting for almost 50% of this fatalities, therefore, every care should be taken to acclimatize. HAPE occurs when excess fluid develops in the lung tissue thus limiting the proper circulation of oxygen. HACE on the other hand is a potentially fatal form of Acute Mountain Sickness where the brain swells due to excess water retention which hinders its normal functioning. Warren was the 2nd and middle son to Caesar and Connie Asiyo, and brother to Ricky Genga, and Tyler Tawo. He was healthy before the climb, with no record of hereditary diseases like Asthma. He was a young teen, full of life, looking to the future and taking pride in conquering the iconic mountain with this friends, a milestone that should have come with great joy and happiness. Instead, what happened to Warren was both tragic and heart breaking and through this experience, his family would like to change Warren’s story to one of triumph overcoming tragedy. We believe that if the climbers and the mountain guides had been better equipped with basic knowledge of AMS they could have recognized the symptoms related to the onset of HAPE and HACE. This lack of awareness gave Warren no chance of survival and it is just possible that had the basic building blocks been in place,
Warren’s life could have possibly been saved. The Warren Foundation would like to change the narrative so that the outdoors can be enjoyed safely. The Foundation will focus on:
● Creating awareness about the mountain and other outdoor activities.
● Training and Certification of Mountain guides/Paramedics;
● Improving emergency preparedness at the mountain: ensuring there is constant communication between the climbers and the base station, well maintained emergency chopper and ambulance for timely evacuation. To achieve the above, we are currently working with Kenya Wildlife Service,
Safaricom, Communications Authority, Nairobi Chapel and Kilimani Junior Academy. The Warren Foundation, therefore, welcomes all who are willing to join us in this noble cause, to ensure no lives are lost due to lack of awareness.
