A breast cancer survivor and her family have petitioned the government to set up free screening centres in every sub-county, saying delayed diagnosis and the high cost of treatment continue to push rural families into poverty and, in some cases, cost patients their lives.
Hadasa Emma, who walked 156 kilometers from Voi to Mombasa to raise breast cancer awareness, said she undertook the journey after watching her mother battle the disease and struggle to access timely, affordable care.
“What pushed me most was the experience I had with my mother when she was suffering from breast cancer. I know many people are going through the same challenges I faced,” Emma said.
She recounted how her mother’s diagnosis required multiple trips between Makindu, Machakos and Nairobi for testing, with samples sometimes taking weeks to return a delay she said has cost other patients their lives.
“Some patients even die before the results return, meaning they can no longer be helped,” she said, adding that her family had to borrow from friends to raise money for her mother’s surgery and years of follow-up medication.
Cecilia Ndunge, a survivor from Makueni County, said early detection saved her life after she noticed a painless lump during a routine self-check. She was later diagnosed with stage one malignant breast cancer and underwent surgery within days.
“Because it was caught early, my family came together and raised the money for the operation,” Ndunge said, though she noted the five years of prescribed medication that followed placed a heavy financial burden on her household.
She warned that many rural residents ignore early symptoms because cancer is painless in its initial stages.
“By the time it starts hurting, it will have progressed far to a stage where a person could even lose their life,” she said.
Clement Mutuku, whose mother has survived cancer for over a decade following early detection through a radio awareness campaign, called on the national and county governments to extend screening services to the village level.
“Cancer is a monster taking away our loved ones. If every sub-county had screening and awareness at the grassroots, it would help a mother in the countryside or a father who rarely makes it into town,” Mutuku said
Stanislaus Muuo urged young people to join awareness campaigns, saying visibility drives change.
“Creating cancer awareness through walk is the best thing to do,” Muuo said, calling on hospitals to stock cancer medication and screening machines for early detection.
By Ramadhan Nassib and Kiptoo Vincent
