Fancy Chepkoech was diagnosed with kidney cancer (also known as nephroblastoma) at the Nakuru Level Four Hospital in July 2020. By September, the then seven-year-old had developed acute stomach pains and was referred to the Kenyatta National Hospital for review and removal of the growth.

Despite being in acute pain, it took three weeks before her case was reviewed, according to her mother, Nancy Kipkemoi.