The amount of money being spent by Kenyans suffering from cancer in foreign hospitals could built a modern full-equipped cancer facility in Kenya.
With lack of good government policy punctuated with corruption, such a facility that could save lives and money remains a pipe dream.
Kenyans who cannot afford high cost of accommodation and medical bills in foreign hospitals are left to die or survive on their own, while those who are supposed to look after them run away with their money.
Those who cannot afford the expensive foreign facilities,have neither thought or got inspired to push for such a facility in the country. It is such a shame for them also.
According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, about 40,000 Kenyans are diagnosed with cancer annually, and more than 15,000 patients succumb to cancer every year.
Roughly, more than 10,000 Kenyans travel abroad for cancer treatment in a year, spending an equivalent of more than 10 billion shillings annually.
Below is a list of Kenyan celebs who are suffering from cancer and getting treatment from oversees.
1.Juja MP Francis Munyua Waititu
In 2018, Mp Munyua spent about 7 weeks of India being treated for cancer. He was suffering from brain cancer.
His treatment was a success.
2.Dennis Omondi, West FM Journalist
In 2018 march, West FM journalist appealed for his medical support, stating that his leukemia treatment bill had went through the roof. He appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta for support.
“I come to you again Mr President @Ukenyatta and your deputy @WilliamRuto help me raise Ksh6.5m. For nine days I have not received medication, this may complicate everything,” he tweeted.
3.Jamby Koikai
The TV girl who was featured on NTV’s The Trend have come clear and confessed that she has been suffering from a common disorder. Cancerous Endometriosis.
Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond pelvic organs.[sic]
Capital FM reggae girl Jamby is currently is in USA for her treatment, she has had a strong recovery process which is proving a success.
4.Chris Kirubi
Kenyan tycoon and father to former Nairobi Deputy Governor Chris Kirubi has been away in health facilities fighting with colon cancer.
The self made DJ and businessman who owns Capital FM is believed to have heard a tough moment before admitting his condition.
Frail photos of Kirubi irked Kenyans who went ahead to sent him quick recovery messages
5.Kiuna son
Jeremy Kiuna son to Pastor Allan Kiuna and Kathy Kiuna was born with a permanent movement disorder Celebral Palsy.
“Going through what I’ve been through in my life isn’t the best. Some days I mess up, some days I do the best I can. June 1, 2016, was my first surgery ever in my entire life. It was crazy because I needed the surgery to be able to walk and I finally got the opportunity God gave me and I’m happy,” Jeremy revealed.
The celebral palsy , lack to control movement affects victims who have been reported to develop cancer in later stages.
6.Ciru Muriuki
NTV trend host and radio queen also was treated from cancer. She discovered early enough and went through endometriosis with ease after the surgery she underwent to remove an ovarian cyst.
7.Fatmah Mohammed
Pambazuka National Lottery Show on NTV Fatma Mohammed narrated her medical struggle with heinous fibroids in her body that had to be removed surgically.
She said during a radio interview her menace with the disease started with a diagnosis of only 5 of them, only for the doctors to discover a total of 21 fibroids later.
Doctors were forced to perform a major surgery due to the fact that the fibroids had increased in number and size in a span of just two years.
“I was informed that if only I had sought treatment when the five were first detected then I would not have gone under the knife, a laparoscopy would have removed them,” she said during an interview on Radio Maisha.
As a medical requirement, Fatma was shown all the 21 growths which had been removed from her body.
“I was shocked as the nurse showed me a whole bucket filled with growths,” she said.
Her problems started when she was filming the Pambazuka show, where at some point she would detect leg pains she would end up ignoring.
“When I got home the pain got worse and my leg started swelling. I started my local remedies but it later turned out I had developed a clot,” she narrated.
Fatma is now advocating for regular medical check up for anyone who is feeling uncomfortable especially women.
Fibroids develop themselves as growths at the lower abdomen which tend to cause pain during sex or menstruation
8.Beth Mugo
Cousin to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the former Public Health Minister has been battling with cancer since 2011. She is one of the Politicians who are being treated in India with Cancer.
9.Githae wa Hannah- Kiambu Musician
He was pleading with Kenyans few years ago to help him raise about 10 million shillings for his treatment.
The musician had been affected by throat cancer.
10.Rose Nasimiyu- Cancer Survivor hero
The moved hearts of many Kenyans after she won battle with cancer at just a tender age of 9 years.
She was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and declared free of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer in 2012.
The today’s 14 year old teenage schools, sings and works as a motivational speaker encouraging other cancer patients.
She received her treated in UK.
Ken Okoth- Kibra MP
Kibra MP Ken Okoth from Nairobi county has disclosed that he has long been fighting with cancer, at stage four which is almost impossible to be cured.
At the age of 41 years old, one of the youngest MPs in current parliament has been fighting with colerectal cancer despite his tight schedule to work for his people in Kibra area.
He says that the cancer was able to be detected at the age of 40 years.
“I was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer with metastases to the liver,” he told the Sunday Standard.
This is because over the years, the cancer presented itself with symptoms of ulcers, which he was being treated for.
At one moment he was battling with abdominal pain and weight loss.
MP Okoth and his family members received shocking news when his doctor ordered advanced scans, which later revealed it was cancer at stage four.
“The fear of the unknown that accompanies a cancer diagnosis is immense. Cancer changes your life completely,” he says.
To prevent organ failure, the MP was put through serious treatment in 2018 which included radio- and chemotherapy.
Even though he responded well, that would be the beginning of his fight with cancer as a warrior.
For his entire lifetime, he has to take atleast a tablet for a day, he says.
“I will be using chemotherapy tablets that I can take every morning. Because my disease was discovered at a very advanced stage; it cannot be cured. It can only be managed,” he says.
He was given two options for his treatment course, in US or UK, he choose UK because it was not very expensive as US, besides his wife comes from UK meaning that it would be easier for him to be awarded with a residence permit as compared to US
“I could not afford the US because it was too expensive. My wife is from Europe, where the cost is more affordable and I could get a residence permit quickly for the duration of the treatment. Sadly, not everyone is as lucky; we need to make cancer care in Kenya a national priority,” he says.
Courtesy- Saturday Standard.
