15 July, 2011

The experience that was

image002First and foremost this experience would not have been a reality had Jagdee not tagged me on an Africa Cancer Foundation picture and given me the link to apply for the volunteer position in this foundation. Thank you Jagdee aka Denis Mugambi (I know you’ll see this Red heart)

Africa Cancer Foundation was launched at Laico Regency on the 12th of July 2011 and I was part of this great vision of making Africa a cancer free continent and creating awareness and prevention as pertains to Cancer. The vision was conceived and eventually hatched before the whole world and now the growth begins. This is the real work to making a dream come true for cancer victors, Kenya and Africa.

This is not one of those cliché volunteers that you avail yourself due to joblessness or with the aim of buying time. I have lost 5 relatives to cancer and yet if you ambushed me in the street about cancer, I would have been clueless….blank like an unwritten page but not anymore.

Africa Cancer Foundation taught me great life lessons that made me a better woman and above all Knowledge is power….I too got empowered. I got to realize in my own personal way I will empower other people and in the process save a life……touch a soul…..comfort a heart…..strengthen somebody out there.

Cancer is real. Cancer is here. If you are not affected, you are infected. We are involved in one way or another. Did you know that most African females suffer from cervical and breast cancers while most men suffer from lung, prostrate, oesophagus etc. type of cancers. In every part of your body from head to toe, exists a type of cancer.

Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up the tissues which make up the organs. Any abnormal activity in cell growth is usually attributed to cancer because when new cells are formed and old ones are not depleted, these extra cells can form masses of tissue called a growth or tumor. It is important to go for tests and screening once one discovers any unusual growths. The earlier the cancer is detected the faster it can be cured.

So where am I getting with all this??All these facts are on the net. In this “click” generation, we have information at our tips but what next????!!!! Here’s the way forward:

>> Let’s love our bodies and take good care of them. Eat well and exercise. Avoid the puff, it is not healthy. That puff will and is killing you slowly. Drop the alcohol too. Eat a lot of vegetables, fruits and drink lots of water.LOVE YOUR BODY!!!!You are your own caretaker

>> Take that step and go to the hospital when you notice abnormalities in your body and its functioning. Do not brush off any symptom, I know this is every Kenyan’s attitude. “Nothing is ever too serious” mentality is a no no attitude.

>> Research and read wide about cancer and do not sit on such knowledge. pass it on through your emails, over a coffee date, through blogs, tweet them etc.….You will be empowering somebody else and only through empowerment can Kenya realize its visions

>> Be that shoulder for that cancer victim or survivor. They need us through the chemotherapy, the radiology sessions, through the adverse side effects of the treatment, through the whole journey. You could be their strength….walk with them. Sometimes this is the only strength one needs.

>>Donate (Money) to various Cancer initiatives. There is Africa Cancer Foundation http://africacancerfoundation.org  Hope for the cancer kids  http://hope4cancerkids.org  Google them and you’ll find them. You can even offer to pay for the patients the NHIF membership subscription Ksh1920 annually.

>> Do not forget to pray for them for there is power and hope in prayer and where two or three agree on earth, so it is in heaven. Believe in prayer with them.

 

Thank God for his little mercies everyday and take them not for granted. Bless your God when you have no medical bills or hair falling off. bless your God when you are fit to carry on with your daily living.Thank Him.

To all the cancer victors out there, I salute you all for your strength.

The most important thing in illness is never to lose heart.  ~Nikolai Lenin

I salute you Hon. Nyong’o , Tetich Sambu, Baby Alex(get well soonest), Mbugua Kamau, Doris Mayoli, Francis Kariuki, Pamela Dede, Ferdinand Mwangura among many more. I salute you all.

To all those who went to be with the Lord, you fought a good fight Aunty Mary, Aunty Lynnette, Aunty Beatrice and Uncle Herman amongst others.

I sign off in the words of Princess, a cancer victor, a young girl who speaks with so much hope and strength: “Doctors cure but God heals”

 

Lets kick Cancer out of Africa like we did Ebola Nerd smile

God bless and dare to be different.

 

We can because we care.

 

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http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/family-nutrition/anticancer/12-dietary-changes-will-lower-your-cancer-risk

http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_cancer_prevention.htm

http://cancer.about.com/od/cancerlistaz/a/typesofcancers.htm

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/alphalist

5 comments:

  1. Wow!This is very inspiring Bev.
    I cant exactly put in words how i have felt reading this article,in a nut shell i can say that i am inspired.Thank you and may God continue blessing the work of your hands.
    Stay blessed always.

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  2. thank you Okande...amen to that...may u always bless somebody's heart everyday

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  3. This is truly inspiring and an eye opener. I will spread the word on Cancer, we need to join and kick it away!
    God bless u Mkosh.

    Val.

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  4. true tht my dear....lets kick it aut.

    God bless u too dear gal

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  5. Yezzur Jagdee!!!like hot air

    ReplyDelete

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