Kenyan Nurse Esther Sitienei Succumbs to Cancer in the UK

Esther Sitienei, a Kenyan nurse who spent over 20 years at the University Hospitals of Leicester, died on 4 April 2026 following a prolonged battle with cancer.

Sitienei trained and practised nursing in Nairobi before moving to the United Kingdom in 2001. At Leicester, she worked in the Intensive Therapy Unit, where colleagues remembered her for her dedication, skill, and compassion. 

“She was the nurse who stayed a little longer, who listened a little more,” one colleague said.

Originally from Kitale, Sitienei’s family later settled in Cheploskei along the Nakuru–Eldoret Highway. In line with her wishes, her relatives are arranging for her body to be repatriated to Kenya for burial. 

The process involves substantial costs, prompting friends and members of the UK-Kenyan community to launch a fundraising appeal. Donations are being accepted via Metro Bank in the UK and M-Pesa in Kenya.