Zally Makonzi (L), his daughter (Middle) and Joy Adhiambo (R). (Photo: Roberto Muyela)
A young couple residing in Kisumu’s Nyalenda informal settlement has called upon Kenyans and the Africa Cancer Foundation to come bail them out of their five years struggle with cervical cancer.
Joy Adhiambo, 30 and Zally Makonzi always envisioned a life full of happiness before the reality hit them like a thunder bolt in 2013 when Adhiambo was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Married for 13 years now, Makonzi and Adhiambo were at pains to explain that they required to a tune of Sh1.5 million to access specialized cancer treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.
“We are not able to raise such amount of money. We request the Africa Cancer Foundation which is closely associated with our Governor Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o to come to our rescue,” pleaded the couple.
Adhiambo’s health struggle was herald by frequent abdominal pains and this prompted her to seek medical attention from Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) and also from Dr. S.O. Ogwer of Matibabu Clinical Laboratory in Kisumu.
However, it took long before her ailment was established.
Dr. Ogwer of Matibabu Clinical Laboratory in Kisumu who examined her afterwards revealed that Adhiambo had with 5cm tumor which had infiltrated the parametrium right but not up to the wall of the uterus.
The disease has since then progressed to stage 4 of cervical cancer.
Makonzi who is a casual laborer with meager earnings stated that he has known no peace for the past five years.
“She bleeds profusely to some extent that she becomes conscious. We do not sleep, she experiences agonizing pains in her stomach and right thigh,” explained Makonzi.
While live on ordinary painkillers, Makonzi says her wife uses a minimum of 3 sanitary pads every night to absorb the excessive blood that oozes out from her adding that at the moment she has resorted to using her clothes to absorb the blood.
On her side, Adhiambo said that she has been segregated from her fellow women owing to her condition which sees her produce a fluid with a foul smell.
“I can not do any house chores due to excessive pain and bleeding. My friends no longer stay with me because of the smell that I produce,” narrates Adhiambo.
The couple was so passionate that help would be forthcoming to enable them access chemotherapy and resume normalcy in life.
Following this, the couple has since sought help to acquire a Paybill number to facilitate contributions towards the prescribed Chemotherapy treatment before her condition deteriorates further.