Doctors' warning: Tree-hugging protest risks one's lives or health

Pastor Jimmy Irungu, 30, attempted to break a world record by hugging a tree for 80 hours in an effort to advocate for the fight against cancer. He was hospitalised after collapsing. [Courtesy]

What started as a solitary act of endurance and protest has, within months, grown into one of Kenya’s most talked-about social media crazes, drawing admiration, curiosity and serious concern from medical experts.

Since late last year, Kenyans across the country have taken to hugging trees for hours and in some cases days to draw attention to a wide range of causes, from environmental conservation and mental health to cancer awareness, the plight of the boy child and insecurity.