ANN

Nairobi, Kenya

I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in may of 2006 but the tell-tale signs had come about three and a half years before. Due to ignorance and lack of money/medical cover, I never at anytime during the two years visited a gynecologist.I had just been retrenched from the civil service ,my marriage was on the rocks and thus the going was very tough. Until one day when hell broke loose. I was flowing with blood and in between the late symptoms and diagnosis I conceived and lost the baby at about six months.I didn't even know I was pregnant until about 4months as I was bleeding on and off.

My story is the story of a typical Kenyan woman and the ignorance they live in. The diagnosis and consequent journey through treatment changed my life. I experienced a lot of hardships through this long journey and I learned a lot of things concerning cervical and other cancers. But what hit me like a thunderbolt was its magnitude in our country. I also met a lot of underprivileged women whom apart from not knowing what they were suffering from, experienced rejection from their spouses and stigma from society. Majority of them could not afford treatment and some even deserted it halfway. Many more die before ever making it to the hospital. I had to do something, however small. That is how Pink Ribbon was born. I use it as an advocacy tool and a platform for lobbying the government on legislation. In our country, cervical cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers. Statistics from the Nairobi hospice as of 2006 slated it at 20.7%. coming before breast at 17.2%. I believe there are many more cases that go unreported. HPV education in our country is dismal and there needs to be a vigorous campaign on HPV education,widespread grass root screening if any gains are to be made. This can only be achieved if there is a national program put in place.

Personally, I move around in churches, mosques and social gatherings trying to educate the society on this vice that threatens our very existence. I also connect with the media by going on TV for breakfast shows and on vernacular radio stations that has a wider audience. But apart from this chances being rare and wide apart, these efforts are like a drop in the ocean considering that my organization has no offices, finances nor support from any quarter. That though does not slow me down as I know every long journey starts with a single step.The situation in Kenya concerning cancer is gloomy.There simply is no political will and this paints a glime picture for cancer patients, the majority of whom are very poor. The task ahead is gigantic but I am more than determined to soldier on.