Kibra Member of Parliament Ken Okoth has made revelations that can describe him as a warrior.
In an interview with the Standard, Okoth revealed that he has been battling colerectal cancer but still putting on a brave face to work for his people.
He however admits that admits that the diagnosis came a little too late but he will pull through.
“I was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer with metastases to the liver,” he told the local daily.
Could this be the reason why he is pushing for legalization of Marijuana, which he has insisted it can help cure cancer? Well, Colorectal cancer, as defined by Mayoclinic.com, is when cancer develops from both the colon and rectum.
This diagnosis, however, was not easy to come by. For over a year, he presented symptoms of ulcers, at times bacterial infections and that is what he was being treated for.He was even put on drugs to manage stress. Okoth says that all that time, he was battling abdominal pain and weight loss.
By the time his doctor ordered some advanced scans, the cancer was found at stage four. It was shocking news to his family.“The fear of the unknown that accompanies a cancer diagnosis is immense.
Cancer changes your life completely,” he says.The only support system became his family, friends and the medical team.Last year, Okoth was put through vigorous treatment that involved combined radio- and chemotherapy to avert the impending risk of organ failure.
He responded well, he says, but that was just the beginning of his long-term treatment. Considering his cancer was discovered at stage four, he will have to take medication for life – a tablet each day.
Okoth admits that getting treatment for advanced cancer is not easy in the country, a challenge he has had to deal with himself upon recommendation by his doctors in Nairobi.He was given two options where he could seek advanced care for his liver: the US or Europe. He settled for Europe.