Joyce Akelo: Breast cancer survivor championing early screening

When Joyce Akelo first felt the small lump in her breast, she tried not to panic.

Like many women, she hoped it was something minor, perhaps a harmless swelling that would disappear on its own.

She said life was busy and there were responsibilities waiting at home and work for her to pay much attention to it.

But when the discomfort persisted, she finally decided to see a doctor and that visit changed everything for her.

“I remember the doctor looking at the results and then telling me that the lamp on my breast was cancer. In that moment, I felt like my life had stopped. For a while, fear took over,” she recounted.

For her, the word cancer carried heavy weight. stories of suffering, long treatments and loss. Akelo worried about her family, about her future, and about whether she would survive the illness.

“I thought my life was ending, I felt so helpless and, in that moment, it was like a death sentence had been passed to me,” she said quietly.

But years later, Akelo stands as a breast cancer survivor, and a voice of encouragement for women who may be facing the same diagnosis.

As the world marks International Women’s Day, her story highlights both the resilience of women and the urgent need for greater awareness around cancer screening and support.

For Akelo, the journey through treatment was as emotional as it was physical.

There were hospital appointments, difficult conversations with doctors and moments when the uncertainty felt overwhelming. And eventually, the loss of her left breast.

Yet in the midst of that struggle, Akelo discovered the importance of community support.

“It’s not just about the treatment. You need people around you to encourage you and most importantly support you financially because cancer treatment is very expensive especially in our country,” she noted.

She describes this network of support as a compassionate village, friends, family members and colleagues who chose to stand by her during the most difficult days.

“They didn’t have to do anything extraordinary. Sometimes they just came to sit with me, talk with me, or encourage me,” she said.

Those small acts of kindness, she says, made a significant difference.

“Cancer can make you feel isolated. But when people show up for you, you feel stronger,” Akello said.

As Akelo celebrated women’s day spreading hope to those walking the same journey she went through, that message of hope was echoed during an International Women’s Day medical camp held at Newlife SDA Church along Ngong Road in Nairobi.

Organised by ParentsAfrica Integrated Media, the event brought together health professionals, survivors and community members for conversations on women’s health.

The camp offered free screening for breast, cervical and prostate cancers, as well as tests for cholesterol levels, body mass index and blood pressure.

The Managing director for ParentsAfrica Eunice Martin said the Celebrate women by encouraging them to go for frequent screening that enables early detection while creating safe spaces for dialogue around diseases that are often detected too late.

“Women play a central role in families and communities but sometimes they prioritise everyone else’s health and forget about their own. So it is our collective duty to ensure they are healthy throughout,” she said.

Doctors at the event also emphasised the importance of preventive care.

Dr Grace Kanye, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, urged women to take advantage of screening services and vaccination programmes as a way of prevention.

“With some cancers like cervical cancer, we don’t want to reach the stage where symptoms appear. We want it prevented and in cases one falls victim, let the detention be done early” she explained.

Early screening, she says, significantly improves the chances of successful treatment and survival rates.

She added that cancer treatment has long been associated with expensive procedures and overseas travel, forcing some households to sell property or exhaust their savings.

But health experts say treatment options in Kenya have expanded significantly in recent years.

Kanye noted that new technologies are also helping expand access to testing.

“HPV DNA self-sampling kits, for example, now allow women to collect screening samples themselves, increasing participation among those who may fear traditional examinations,” Kanye said.

For Okelo, such initiatives represent an important step toward saving lives.

She hopes that by sharing her experience, more women will recognise the importance of prioritising their health.

Her message this International Women’s Day is that women should listen to their bodies, go for screening and support those facing the illness.

“Pick a date every month and examine yourself, it is part of self-care. And when someone you know is diagnosed with cancer, don’t disappear,” Akelo said.