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| James Mwangi and his wife Loise during the interview at their house in Kasarani, Nairobi.[PHOTOS: WILLIS AWANDU/STANDARD] |
NAIROBI, KENYA: Since January, James Mwangi Kamau, 40, has faced one of the most difficult times in his life.
After long periods of stomach pains, he was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, a disease that eventually made him to develop liver cancer.
And as the search for a solution sent him to India and back where he was asked to look for a liver donor, more heartbreaking news came his way.
His three siblings two sisters and a brother were also diagnosed with Hepatitis B, and immediately ruled out as possible donors.
The news was devastating, especially given that it appeared that the disease runs in the family.
Mwangi’s mother and brother died a year back from the same disorder.
But his tribulations have also taught him that in a world that seems to be so cruel, love is still in abundance. Two cousins have agreed to donate their livers, giving him hope that he will live.
We met Mwangi at his Nairobi home in Kasarani, days after he arrived from India where he underwent a series of radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments.
He appeared weak but determined to fight as he explained how the illness all began last year.
“I used to experience frequent stomach pains that at times became too much to bear. All I could do was to self-medicate to minimise the pain. It reached a point that I started using ulcers drugs, but the condition got worse,” he says as he struggles to speak.
RAISING MONEY
In January, he visited a local hospital in Nairobi where he was diagnosed with Hepatitis B and consequently sent for a scan that revealed he had a swelling on his liver.
“The doctor immediately recommended a biopsy but that was not going to be undertaken in Kenya. We had to identify a hospital in India,” his wife Loise explained after her husband got emotional and ran out of words.
Mwangi, who according to his wife, is a Jua Kali businessman, could not raise Sh2.1 million needed for biopsy and other medical scans.
The family, she says, had to organise a fundraiser to raise money that was spent during biopsy. It was confirmed that Mwangi was suffering from liver cancer thereafter.
“It was a shocking revelation for the family. We have three children and he is the breadwinner. In fact, we had difficulties raising the money for his treatment in India,” she says.
Joseph Marwa, one of the committee members tasked with raising funds said Sh1.1 million was spent on biopsy and an additional Sh1 million on operations and scans.
But what shocked the family even more was the realisation that the disease could have been genetic, and the possibility that it could be running through nuclear family members was close to 100 per cent. According to Loise, her husband’s brother had just passed on in 2006 after being diagnosed with Hepatitis B. Her mother-in-law equally succumbed to liver cancer way back.
“When my husband was diagnosed with the disease, we panicked as we tried to read between the lines. We were almost certain that other family members could be suffering from the same disease. We did not give up,” she narrates.
Mwangi’s doctor, based in India, suggested a liver transplant that must be done within the shortest time possible to save his life.
The family was forced to identify possible donors and his sisters and brother were willing to help their sibling.
But this meant compatibility tests to be performed on the donors, never mind liver transplant is a risky affair.
“The worst happened. Our fears were confirmed. His brother and two sisters were all diagnosed with Hepatitis B,” Loise revealed amid tears.
It is at this point, Loise says, that they discovered the disease was running through the family.
WILLING DONORS
It is the actions of Mwangi’s cousins that have taught the family that in a world that appears devoid of compassion, love is still abundant. After the two said they were willing to donate, they underwent compatibility tests and passed.
“The family is yet to decide which one of them will undergo the operation,” one family member said, but added they did not wish to be interviewed. “We do not want anything that could distract them at this point.”
Their three children equally passed the tests and are safe from the disorder.
Dr Catherine Nyongesa, a cancer specialist at Texas Cancer Centre, explained that people who donate a portion of their liver can live healthy lives with the remaining liver.
She, however, maintains that the liver is a sensitive organ and a donor needs to be aware of risks that come with it before undertaking the operation.
“Liver treatment varies from stage to stage. At early stages, alternative treatment including chemotherapy and radiotherapy is administered, but a liver transplant is necessary at an advanced stage,” Nyongesa explains.
She adds that in most cases, the liver is sourced from a deceased organ donor.
So far, Mwangi’s family has been forced to part with close to Sh2.1 million, but their greatest worry is the inability to foot bills for organ transplant.
“We need Sh6 million to complete the whole process. This is just too difficult but we appeal to anyone who is willing to help to assist us. We are optimistic that the operation will be successful,” Loise adds.
Cancer has, over the years, been declared as one of the top causes of deaths in Kenya after infectious and cardiovascular diseases.
According to Ministry of Health figures, more than 28,500 new cases of cancer are diagnosed every year in Kenya. About 22,100 people die of the disease in the same period.
The disease contributes to seven per cent of total national mortality annually, but there are a series of stories about cancer victims who have successfully battled with the disease.
“It is the sixth killer disease in men and seventh in women. It is common in men between ages of 50 and 60, but it is worrying that we are seeing it in younger Kenyans of late,” says Nyongesa.
As a preventive measure, Nyongesa suggests it is vital for children to undergo immunisation at an early age.
LACK OF EXPERTISE
“Liver cancer can be hidden and presentation can mimic other illnesses. Therefore, it is important to have regular check-ups just to be sure,” she advises.
Treatment in Kenya is limited as patients gain access only to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and later seek outside services for transplant.
Nyongesa attributes this to lack of expertise and necessary equipment in the country, forcing Kenyans to seek medication in India and other nations.
“During transplant, an entire liver may be transplanted, or just a section. Because the liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate, a transplanted portion of a liver can rebuild to normal capacity within weeks,” she adds.
If a new health bill (2014) is passed, it will be lawful for widowed women to donate their spouses’ organs to research institutions or medical use.
The proposal also makes it legal for a donor to receive payment for donating a body organ to another party.