In Kenya, 5,985 women are diagnosed annually with breast cancer, with 2,553 of these dying, making breast cancer the 3rd leading type of cancer in the country. This is due to the high cost of treatment, which most of these patients cannot afford and do not have the luxury of a medical cover, due to their standards of living. Through this project, we are aim to help 80 breast cancer patients get access to professional health care and save a family the pain of losing a mother to breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in Kenya, with most cases being diagnosed in their 3rd and 4th stages. According to statistics, only 30% of these get the recommended treatment, with some of them halting their treatment midway, due to high cost of treatment and also due to stigma. Unfortunately, majority of these women who are also mothers are middle-low income earners, hence cannot afford to take care of their families and get treatment.
Through this project, we aim at paying medical insurance for 80 mothers living with breast cancer, from low income areas, which covers up to 5 family members, for a duration of one year. This will help the mothers focus on their treatment and their well being. The cover also covers therapy sessions at the national hospital, which will help these mothers with their psycho-social journey, helping them re-integrate and fit in back to the society.
We hope to not only pay medical insurance for more mothers, but also raise awareness on breast cancer while eradicating the stigma associated with it, which is one major reason why most patients, especially those living in the rural areas stop their treatment. We also hope to reduce morbidity through helping these women go through their journey, all the way to full recovery. We also hope to play an active role in policy change and have the national medical insurance cover more chemo' rounds.
