In 2019, Victoria Mueni 43, was diagnosed with breast cancer and immediately her life changed.
She said doctors detected the disease at its initial stages and had one of her breasts removed.
“I realised I had cancer in 2019. I had visited a hospital after realising I had a swelling in one of my breasts but was given pain killers which I took, but it never healed,” Mueni said.
“I returned to the same hospital, but the doctors insisted that I get diagnosed. They found out there was a problem with one of my breasts, extracted samples and took them for laboratory tests. The results came out after two weeks and tested positive for cancer.”
Mueni said she went through counselling before the results were issued to her.
“The doctors told me that cancer can heal. I was shocked, but accepted to start the treatment journey,” she said on Tuesday in Machakos.
She said the doctors then referred her to Machakos Level 5 Hospital where she attended the institution’s cancer centre.
It was at that point that she was introduced to chemotherapy.
Mueni said when she visited the hospital for the first time for check-ups she paid Sh8,000 for the drugs.
She is however happy that the National Health Insurance Fund has lessened the treatment burden.
Mueni who had completed her chemotherapy now depends on drugs to manage her health condition.
She visits Machakos cancer centre every 21 days.
The recovering cancer patient urged women to always visit hospitals for screening for the disease.
Mueni said eight chemotherapies were done on her before she was introduced to drugs that she takes daily.
“I swallow one drug every morning. No side effects. I feel healed despite not having one of my breasts,” Mueni said.
Mueni spoke at a time when the world marks cancer awareness month.
Dr Scott Barnes, an Oncology/haematology from US-based Operations Medical Global Health Care said statistics from the National Cancer Institute of Kenya showed that over 40,000 women get breast cancer each year.
He said that translates to one out of 11 women.
“I have been invited to Katani Hospital to treat breast cancer patients,” Barnes said.
“We will offer some therapies where we can treat at least around 75 to 76 per cent of the patients and they will have 65 to 75 per cent response which means they will get better.”
Barnes said the patients will be taken through various phases of treatment.
“We are very excited to offer breast cancer therapies to women in Kenya. People always think about chemotherapy, but if you look at the major medical studies, you will find that the best results are found with the hormonal pills, not chemotherapy,” he said.
He said chemotherapy comes in a small group of women who won’t respond to anything else.
The specialist is among other international doctors offering services during a free medical camp at Katani Hospital in Mlolongo, Machakos.
The event that started on October 16 will end on October 23.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris