Irungu Collapses at 79th Before 80th hour Record
Pastor Jimmy Irungu collapsed during the 79th hour of his ambitious 80-hour tree-hugging challenge and was quickly taken to Murang’a Level 5 Hospital for medical care. He was on track to finish the challenge on Thursday, January 8, at 5:27 am, just an hour after the incident.
In a recent interview, the preacher, who also happens to be a gospel singer, shared that he feels deeply inspired by the rising number of cancer cases impacting families and communities in Kenya.
“Today, I am going to be embarking on an 80-hour challenge to raise awareness about cancer. Cancer has become a tragedy. I know that even the viewers know of someone, even in their family, who might have been affected by cancer,” he said.
He urged both the government and private sector to acknowledge cancer as a significant public health crisis that requires urgent action, improved medical support, and ongoing public awareness efforts.
He went on to stress how important it is to link environmental safety with cancer prevention. He warned us to be careful about using animal feeds that have been chemically treated and to avoid contaminated food products.
“It is my appeal to the government and relevant private institutions to rise and fight against this illness. The reason why I have decided to hug a tree, which many people have been criticising me for saying it was Truphena’s idea and which is actually true, is this,” he said during an interview with Kikuyu YouTuber Paxson Chege Ngunya.
“This is to show you that if we can be mindful and take care of what surrounds us, then we can fight cancer. For example, when you feed your cow feed that has chemicals, and then the butcher sells that meat to you later, these chemicals can cause cancer. If we take care of what is around us, then that can be the start of fighting cancer. Let us fight this cancer together.”
During a media briefing on Monday, January 5, 2026, Irungu firmly rejected the notion that he was chasing fame or accolades. He emphasized that his true motivation stems from a deeply personal place, driven by genuine concern for public health.
“Niliamua ku hugg mti kwa sababu ya ugonjwa wa cancer. Ugonjwa wa cancer umekuwa ukisumbua watu sana na kumaliza watu wengi,” he said.
Irungu explained that cancer has silently become one of the deadliest diseases in the country, forcing families to exhaust their savings in search of treatment abroad.
“Watu wamekua wakienda India kupata matibabu. Nikaamua nikuje hapa kwa mti kwa masaa eighty ili tuonyeshe ya kwamba huu ugonjwa ni hatari,” he added.
Irungu Collapses at 79th Before 80th hour Record
