By Anyang’ Nyong’o
anyongo@yahoo.com
It always comes as a shock, this death thing, however mentally prepared one is. For those of us who knew Jerry closely we had the rare opportunity of being briefed by Jerry very candidly about his health. Jerry was brave, very brave. He knew how far his prostate cancer had gone but he never portrayed any sense of despair or panic. At no time did he become depressed as he struggled always to make the best of each day.
Jerry had a sharp intellect and an infectious smile that could wipe away any sorrow from the most melancholic type. He loved to argue and to play the devil’s advocate on thorny issues. I used to send Jerry every draft of my weekly articles in this paper before they were published, just to make sure that he could point out something untoward that I need not say, or to smoothen arguments that might not have made sense. I will miss Jerry.
In March 2012, when my wife Dorothy and I came back from the US where I had undergone treatment for prostate cancer, Jerry informed us that he too had been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer while we were away. He had finally landed into the care of Dr Maurice Wambani who had done a wonderful job looking after him, explaining to him in details his health status and always encouraging him to live a full life notwithstanding periods of frequent hospitalisation. Dr Wambani and Jerry very rapidly developed a brotherhood that went beyond doctor/patient relationship: they were in a mission together to fight the cancer.
We shared with Jerry our experience. Dr Wambani graciously accepted us into his discussions with Jerry as we all pooled together our hopes and emotions to support Jerry in his struggles with cancer. Jerry never disappointed; he was always on top of things, writing about cancer, talking to audiences about his experience and encouraging his fellow men to be vigilant about regular medical check ups.
When we founded the Africa Cancer Foundation (ACF) in July 2011, Jerry was with us. Although absent from the launch because he had travelled to the US for medical review and to see his family, he sent us his speech which will always be a living testament for his commitment to raise cancer awareness among our people. As a member of the Board of the ACF, Jerry volunteered to work at the ACF offices to help establish the organisation. He successfully worked on our first grant proposal to the Rockefeller Foundation, making it possible for us to initiate the project to develop Kenya’s first Guidelines for Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Care by the Ministry of Health.
I am very indebted to Jerry as the amiable chairman of my campaign committee to be the Senator for Kisumu County. In his laid back approach to issues, Jerry liberally solicited ideas from people and always patiently paid close attention to contributions in discussions and almost always came up with brilliant syntheses on what were discussed.
Many Kenyans in the world of communications, information and public relations knew Jerry well. He was a man to be reckoned with in the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) where he will be dearly missed. As a public intellectual his contributions in both the print and electronic media has spanned many decades. His views on issues of governance resonated very well with the reform movement and the Second Liberation. He always retained a healthy distance from partisan politics without fearing to take clear principled stands on issues he felt strongly about. To Jerry reason, not dogma, was always the litmus test of the power of his arguments.
I want to pay tribute to Jerry’s family and all the relatives and close friends who have been with him throughout this journey from 2011. All will miss him. Let the grace of God give strength to his wife Lillian and his daughters who have had to endure the agony of being away in the US while he fought bravely against cancer.
I do not think that it is easy to come across a doctor like Maurice Wambani. That human touch that goes beyond the mere contractual obligation to render care is unique in the person of Dr Wambani. His brutal frankness makes it easier for a patient to be at home with his health status. His remuneration, necessary as it is as a genuine reward for his labour, never at any time adversely affected Dr Wambani’s support for Jerry even when such remuneration was not forthcoming. Let us learn a big lesson from Jerry’s life. First, our men: it is important to know your health status through regular medical check ups. Since primary and preventive health care is now largely a county government responsibility, it will be important to emphasise public awareness through well thought out programs at the village, sub-county and county levels.
Second, our health care providers , including doctors: please learn to be candid with your patients and discuss honestly with them matters regarding their health status. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis quite often occur because some doctors are reluctant to refer patients to other specialists when their own knowledge is limited.
Finally, I will never get tired to keep on emphasising the need for us in Kenya to have universal health coverage. I know there are vested interests who have always fought this idea but it is high time now that some counties started thinking about implementing it at the county level if the national government won’t play ball. Jerry: please take up this argument with the angels in heaven.
