HIV and Opportunistic Cancer: A Crossroads for Mary
When Untold staff met Mary, the resources needed to continue her cancer treatment were dwindling. Her family had a strong desire to continue assisting her, but couldn’t afford to cover the exorbitent cost of treatment. The local church that previously supported her withdrew their aid. Mary’s physical pain gravely affected every aspect of her life and mentality, but a seed of hope was right at her doorstep. She witnessed a deep-rooted transformation in her neighbor who participated in Untold’s programming. Despite being HIV-positive, they exhibited a joy that spread to Mary.
Immediately upon joining Untold, Mary was sent to a referral hospital equipped to care for more advanced stages of cancer. There, she was able to receive an ultrasound and CT scan and began chemotherapy, covered by the Medical Endowment Fund (MEF). Her family has testified that Untold met Mary an opportune time. “Her spirits have been lifted, and she is a different woman than we knew,” Mary’s friends say.
Mary is one of the many Kenyans stretched thin for cancer treatment. According to a World Bank Report, most cancer cases in Kenya are diagnosed at an advanced stage, when treatment options become more limited and the prognosis is poor. Medics have reported that 75 percent of new patients at Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital present for treatment with late-stage disease. A combination of barriers to cancer control influences this number, with most oncologists concentrated in Nairobi, limited awareness of cancer risk factors, lack of countrywide early detection measures, and the financial burden of treatment. The lack of robust options often forces individuals and families to make huge sacrifices to foot the bill - if they do anything at all.
When it comes to HIV and opportunistic infection, HIV doesn’t directly cause cancer. However, it can weaken the immune system enough to develop many types of cancer, to the point that people living with HIV (PLWHIV) run an increased risk of:
20-70 times more likely to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma
10 times more likely to develop Hodgkin lymphoma
25 times more likely to develop anal cancer
5 times more likely to develop cervical and liver cancer
Additionally, Untold guided Mary through the process of enrolling in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), Kenya’s national insurance structure that less than 20% of the country is enrolled in. Her new insurance will help cover some of the cost associated with cancer treatment. As graduation has come and gone, Mary humbly asks for prayers. With treatment still difficult to come by even with insurance and public hospitals overstretched, she prays that she may find the means to continue treatment and her medication regimen despite any barriers.
“I am grateful beyond measure for the Untold community. May the Almighty bless the donors for their sacrifice because it has brought me life again!”