Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has shared her experience battling cancer, recalling how her diagnosis affected her family and changed her perspective on treatment and recovery.
The Governor spoke about her experience on Thursday, August 27, during the commissioning of the Phoebe Asiyo Oncology Center at Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital (HBCTRH).
She recalled seeing members of her family break down after learning that she had been diagnosed with cancer, while she remained composed.
“After my diagnosis, I saw people crying everywhere, my family members, but I didn’t cry because Senator Beth Mugo told me, ‘ It is your mind that will kill you, not the cancer,” she said.
Wanga said former nominated Senator Beth Mugo encouraged her to remain mentally strong, telling her that fear and negative thoughts could be more damaging than the disease itself.
Rather than dwell on the diagnosis, Wanga said she chose to focus on gratitude, particularly for having access to medical care.
Gladys Wanga Opens Up About Her Cancer Journey
She said her own experience with cancer, which dates back 12 years, has strengthened her resolve to improve access to cancer services in the county.
Gladys Wanga described the facility as a personal milestone, saying her survival had deepened her commitment to ensuring residents do not have to travel far from their families to receive quality cancer care.
“All I did was thank God, and in thanksgiving, 12 years later, I have not gone anywhere. This is personal to me. In Homa Bay, we are going to have all the facilities for diagnosis and treatment,” she narrated.
Gladys Wanga said the new facility would help transform cancer care in Homa Bay by bringing specialized services closer to patients and reducing the need to travel outside the county for treatment.
She noted that the centre would provide comprehensive care, ranging from community screening and sample collection to diagnosis, specialist consultations, treatment and hospital admissions.
Patients will also have access to counseling, psychosocial support and palliative care, allowing them to receive different stages of cancer care within one facility.
According to Wanga, the centre is expected to cut external referrals by more than 90%, easing the cost and inconvenience faced by patients and their families when seeking specialized services elsewhere.
Beth Mugo Battle With Cancer
Former nominated Senator Beth Mugo was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 after discovering a lump despite having undergone a mammogram earlier that year.
An ultrasound examination at Nairobi Hospital confirmed the presence of a tumour, prompting her to seek specialized treatment in the United States.
Mugo was treated at the Abramson Cancer Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she underwent chemotherapy and surgery. Her treatment included 12 chemotherapy sessions and a double mastectomy followed by reconstruction.
She was later declared cancer-free and went on to use her experience to promote cancer awareness and early detection in Kenya.
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