 Iqisha kwa nasu Securaun, kukipu mwake nmitu mwake mmuneya. Waqutu mwakutu isu. Kwa mwaksimia wajafu, kufu mei nusibutu na kwa kwa mwakawek. Tata wewa kukipu mwakawek wa kwa hwadu mwakawek iqisha mwasa. kwa mwakawek wa kwa mwakawek wa kwa mwakawek. Kwa mwakawek wa nusibutu na kwa mwakawek na kwa mwakawek wa kwa mwakawek. kwa mwakawek wa kwa mwakawek wa kwa mwakawek. the nature of this conversation, I am joined by Moses O'Mondi. He has an interesting story. He's a born cancer survivor. He's a youth of course and I'm a team member for the Global Week for Action on Non-Kunikable Diseases. Right here in Kenya. Banna Moses, Karibusana, yo well. I'm good. Thank you for finding time to join me this morning. And as always, we appreciate your feedback from wherever you're watching us from. The hashtag as always is why in the morning at Ramaguko is where you can find me at Michela Shearer, my colleague's handle. The station handle is at Y254 channel. The hashtag as always is why in the morning. Get over to Facebook also if at all you'd like to be part of this conversation and drop in your comments on the comments section because we've made a post there on Facebook on the comment section below, regardless of whatever you have been posted there, just be part of this conversation. Remember, we shall sample your feedback as you continue with this particular program. It is matters health. Now, Moses, before we talk a lot and touch base on so much, tell us about what you do. And I'm really interested in getting to your story also. How did it all start? It's quite interesting because it is in the year 2014 when in form two that he was told that, hey, you know what? You've got cancer. Imagine if it was you who you're finding in me. Moses, tell us. Okay, for what I do, I work at an Uncommunicable Disease Alliance of Kenya. It's an umbrella organization for the groups that deal with the Uncommunicable Disease. So we host cancers, diabetes, they're all under Uncommunicable Disease, Alliance of Kenya. And I'm part of the team there. And for this month we have an activity. It's called Global Reconfaction that we've been planning. And for my story I can say that I was diagnosed back in 2014 when I was still at a young age, still in high school. So I had a lot of questions, like why me, you know? At such a young age you have this disease that at the back of your mind all along. I knew that this was a disease for the rich, you know? That's what you believe? Yeah, that's what I used to believe back then. But cancer is a disease for the rich? Yeah, yeah. So I was wondering why me. I had a lot of questions. Back then I was under the care of my parents, so I used to go with my father for clinics. So all the information I passed through him. So if I get you right, you're informed too? Boding or... It was at the school? At the school. Roraka High School. And how exactly did you get that information? Test for being done in school, what led to you actually getting such kind of a diagnosis? Okay, at first it just started like a simple pain around the near sharp pain. So one day while at this assembly, I fainted. And then I was taken to a hospital and X-ray was done. From days when I was referred to Kiambu Hospital, then to Kenyatta, a long process. And when the doctor saw the results, biopsy test was done. Just to know, to be sure what was going on, it took like a month. And then when they... Together results. Together results. So I was in the hospital and then discharged. By then I was at Kenyatta Hospital and then discharged and then I went back for the results. And now days when the news was broken to us, I was with my father and I was told that your son has cancer and the only solution is amputation because the swelling was big. So Moses, I thought part of the knee did you feel that you are pain? Okay, the front part. But it used to affect the whole knee. So both legs? The right side. So it used to swell and the knee used to... Irukwenakuji na kwa fupi. Fupi? The swelling in a kwa kubu and the knee gets shot. So it used to suck the blood in the body and the swelling continues to be big like that. What do you say in a kwa fupi in terms of the length from your hip to your toe? Yeah, in terms of the length because now all the masses, all the skin, Irukwena stretch. So when it stretches outside, it comes in a kwa fupi. So some kwa fupi kwa fupi kwa gini? It reached a point that I couldn't even walk. So I used to... My father, I can't jengia like a crutch that I used to walk around with because the right knee, Irukwenakuji na kwa kubu. Now this was before you went to a hospital? Yeah. And meanwhile, how was the reception especially from your father and your relatives, friends and family upon such news? How was it? Okay, I can say that they were very supportive, especially my family because they were there with me the whole journey. My mother used to work in Westlands. So she used maybe to sacrifice her time on a daily basis to come and see me in the hospital. Same with my father. So my father took the initiative of caring for me, going to the hospitals, the clinics, all those. It was my father who did that. So I can say that the support was great because my siblings were still in high school. So they used to come during the weekends, maybe on Saturdays and Sundays. You and your siblings are all in high school? At then, I'm the third born. You're the third born? I'm the third born. I'm a family of six. So they held a brother and they would come as a shule. But from our second born, I think he was informed for, I was informed too, and the others were behind me. So the only time that they could come was during the weekend. But they were supportive, very, very supportive. Same with my colleagues, my friends from school and the teachers, they were very, very supportive because they used to come during the weekend also. Even after I was discharged and I went home, they still continued coming, just visiting, giving me that amount of support. And how was it for you, getting such kind of information, especially at that point when you were told that they have to amputate your legs? Did you expect that kind of information, considering in a furra, in a shrink, in a furra, in a shrink? And at what point did you get the information? Was it when you were admitted, while still in the hospital bed? Okay, at first I went and when I was admitted, they did the biopsy test. And the doctor told us that the results will take a while. So we don't want your hospital bill to pile. So we'll just discharge you, go home, and when the results are out, you can come back. So you're not fully admitted? I was not fully admitted for three months. The results were done, the biopsy test was done, and then I was discharged. And then I went back. So when I got the results, it was when I was 10 and I was admitted in the hospital. There is when the results were given to us. It was shocking news. At Sanchayang, age being told that you were diagnosed with cancer, bone cancer. So all sorts of things were running through your mind? Through my mind. I was depressed, I started crying. So my dad is the one who came and talked to me and told me that this is not the end of life. It's just the start. The important thing is that you'll be alive. And for something like a leg or an arm, you can get a prosthetic, you'll be okay. So just go through it. And there's when I got the courage and I went through the operation. Because I'm sure coping up was difficult? Very, very difficult. Because all your life you've been used to living in a particular way. But now you have to adapt and change. How was it coping? It was very, very difficult. In fact, after amputation and I was okay, I went back to school. At school where you were the only person who was amputated. The others are okay. You see now the challenge there. You walk in this corridor, someone is looking at you like they are wondering what is happening. So it was very, very stressful and depressing. But as time went by, I got used to eat and make classmates. They were there, they were supportive. They used to help me talk to me. You know, the moral support. And that is what got me through that. You know, for many, they go through stigmatization. The stigma that is there. Everyone looks at you and you know, you walk through town, you go to class, you the teachers, your fellow students. There is always a look at you. And I don't know if that was true for your case. They look at you and you can be able to read. It's like they are talking through their eyes. Yeah, I've experienced that. It was very, very difficult. But the good thing is I accepted myself. That's the first step. If you accept yourself, it's when others will accept you. But if you don't accept yourself, you'll be depressed. And you know, for many who are watching, there are some who have cancer and are watching it today. What would you tell them? Regardless of the environmental factors, because for you it was good that you had parents who were supportive and you had friends who were supportive. But there is someone there who doesn't have any of the two. True. And first I can say that maybe it was a blessing for me to get this cancer. And that's why I am here today to give hope to someone else out there. So what I can say is that just be strong. Be strong. Cancer is not a death sentence. Just be strong. Have that courage. Talk to someone. You know, if you are able, just join a support group because that is what worked for me. I joined several support groups that we used to talk, share your story. You know, the moment that you share your story is when you feel relieved. You let everything out. And if you share your story and there is someone else there with the same story or worse than yours, you will feel like man is nothing. And you'll get that hope and you'll be. Like just share, just open up, talk to someone. And that's why we talk about these NCDs. Just talk to someone. Like for mental health cases, people are depressed, people are dying. If you can just find someone to talk to, have a conversation with open up, everything will be okay. Now, and that's what we have this week. And that's what we have this week. So what is this week? What exactly are we planning for this week? What should we be looking out for? Okay, this week will be celebrating. It's a global week for action on NCDs. It just says on its own, global week for action on NCDs. Like it's a global event that there will be a lot of action and activities. Or a visit should we be looking out for? So for global look of action, it's all about trying to reduce the burden of NCDs globally. Those are non-communicable diseases and increase health and equality. So for this week, we have several events. We'll be having the radio interviews, TV interviews, just talking about the week. And also we'll be having a webinar on 9th. So people come this week on 9th. That will be on Thursday. So people can join us on that. If you want more information, log on to our social media pages. That is NCD Alliance. All across the social media pages. And for global look of action, we have something called voice of change. Or that? Voice of change is you go there, you express what you want the government to do for you or what you want to see changing. So we have a competition on that. So you just log on to actonncds.org and just express what you feel about uncomfortable disease. Anybody can do it. Anybody can join. You can just express, you can just have your voice of change there. And for that, you can take a screenshot and share all along your social media handles. And there is something good at the end of that. So it's all about getting the information out there. You know, everyone coming to just talk about the same thing from the different perspectives. Globally. Globally. So it's a global event. It's a global event. Nancomunicable disease and also Kenya is part of that. So it's a GWA. Global week off for action on NCDs. Now as we wrap this conversation up, I would like you to speak to that Kenyan youth who is watching it today in regards to all of this just in a nutshell. I know that you've been actively involved in sensitization, especially in regards to cancer. And this is something good that we are expecting this week. So within just 30 seconds, have a final word. Okay. My final word I can say that to Kenyan youth, now it's tough. NCDs are on a rise. So just take care of yourself. Be active. Just do a lot of exercise. Watch your diet because those are some of the risk factors for NCDs being inactive excessive conception of alcohol and tobacco. So let's be active, let's watch our diet and together we can reduce the burden of NCDs in Kenya because no action is small and no action is big. You know, it's quite interesting what you said there. People don't know how their lifestyle can actually affect their overall welfare. Yeah. You know, your health is the number one office. If you're not okay, you can't do anything. Watch your health. Wonderful. If you're a healthy nation, healthy people is a healthy nation. A healthy people is a healthy nation. Moses, thank you so much for finding that journey. And I'm sure there's so much that you've not touched on, but I wish you the best whatever you're doing, keep doing it. You know, at the end of the day, we are reaching out to so many people out there and we are changing the perspectives, the mindsets, the stigma, the fear and the panic that is outside there. We are bringing that influence. So keep it up. Thank you so much. And if you want more information on that, just go on our social media pages, NCD Alliance. Twitter is NCD Alliance Kenya, Facebook NCD Alliance 2013 and Twitter is NCD Alliance. NCD Alliance. You'll get all you need. And are you on social media? Yeah. How can we find it? I'm on social media, Facebook is mosesmoses. For Twitter is mosesomond101. Wonderful. And for IG is moses.omondy underscore. Understood. Understood. Thank you so much. God bless you for coming. I appreciate it. That means that to the end of this conversation on this particular issue on cancer awareness, head over to their handles as they have said and their website and follow, catch up with the conversation, join in this particular event and let us create awareness. Thank you so much for being part of the conversation. Keep it going on our Twitter handle. The hashtag is all in the morning at Ramaguko and that Y244 channel. We still have more insta for you. Meenawal, we're taking a short break. We'll be back in a bit. This is all in the morning.