The former marathoner was transferred to KNH on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, and is expected to undergo surgery later in the week.
Speaking on Tuesday, Murugi thanked all those who highlighted her plight, noting, “I can see that God has come through for me, and my child will be able to go to school”.
Murugi’s treatment at KNH follows an appeal for help after her plight was highlighted by local media outlets.
She has been battling persistent health problems while struggling financially to meet her medical needs and provide for her child.
Murugi, who once represented Kenya in international competitions, currently lives in a single-roomed house in Nyahururu, Nyandarua County.
Her journey in athletics began at Wangui Primary School in Ngamini, Ndaragwa, where her talent was reportedly identified while she was in Standard Four.
According to Murugi, an individual known as Kioni later introduced her to a training camp and helped facilitate her move to Japan when she was 14. She attended Toyo Power School from Form One to Form Three and completed her studies in 2011.
At 17, Murugi was recruited by Toyota as an athlete. Her running career developed after she relocated to Japan in 2009, where she competed in half marathons and other road races.
The income she earned through athletics enabled her to support her family, including buying land for her parents and helping meet the education costs of her siblings. Her financial situation, however, later deteriorated after a series of setbacks.
Murugi said she lost money in a land deal in Kiamaina before investing in a lorry that she planned to use to transport cabbages. The lorry was later involved in an accident at Del Monte in Thika, after which she said the driver disappeared.
Murugi also became a mother in August 2016. Three months after giving birth, she returned to Japan, where she competed in a half marathon before travelling back to Kenya.
She was later signed by another company and continued competing for about a year before developing problems with her legs.
She returned to Japan for medical attention and spent about five months away from training before attempting to resume her athletics career. Her competitive career was eventually brought to an end by a tendon injury in 2014.
Her health problems became more serious in 2021 when she began experiencing abdominal swelling and discomfort.
Murugi sought medical attention at several health facilities and said she was initially informed that she had a uterine condition requiring surgery.
At Mwea Mission Hospital in Karira, she said doctors prescribed five injections per month, with each injection costing Sh10,500.
The treatment temporarily eased the swelling, but the problem returned after she completed the fifth injection.
She was later placed on medication that cost as much as Sh30,000 and was referred to different health facilities as she continued seeking treatment.
“This treatment has cost me a lot of money,” Murugi said, explaining that some of the medication required significant amounts of money.
Her health condition has also affected her ability to work and made a return to professional athletics difficult.
She said she sometimes tries to find casual employment, including tea-picking jobs, but her physical condition has made it challenging to secure such opportunities.
“Sometimes when I go to look for work picking tea, the farm owner says I cannot do it,” she said.
Apart from her medical and financial difficulties, Murugi is also seeking to resolve a dispute involving a parcel of land she purchased as an investment.
She said she entrusted the property to a close relative but later became concerned that she could lose ownership of it. “I would like that plot to be back in my hands now,” she said.
Murugi believes regaining control of the property would give her and her child a more secure place to live and improve their prospects. Her child is currently schooling in Waigiri with assistance from a neighbour.
Despite the difficulties she has faced, Murugi has not abandoned her ambition of returning to athletics.
“I hope to return to running in 2029 and represent our country, Kenya. I also believe that I will be running in 2029,” she said.
