By Mary Nekesa, Transzoia County

Cancer is a scary word. Having lost my mother and uncle to this dreadful disease, I have often worried that it might be a hereditary curse in our family. These fears robbed me of hope, especially when I thought about the possibility of my own children inheriting this menacing legacy. It felt as if life had lost its meaning, and the constant specter of death loomed over us.

Then, something wonderful happened. Our friendly community health promoter told us some fantastic news. She said, “The Ministry of Health is offering free cancer vaccines to prevent kids from getting cancer!”

I have two wonderful kids, aged 11 and 13. I couldn’t bear the thought of them going through what I did. So, we went to the local public hospital right away for those vaccines.

Cancer is not just sad, it’s also very expensive to treat. I am fighting breast cancer, and it’s really hard. But knowing that my kids might not have to face this makes me strong.

I want to tell every parent this: if your kids are between 10 and 14, take them to get these vaccines. It’s a way to keep them safe from cancer.

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to our community health promoters. Were it not for their tireless efforts, many of us might remain unaware of this opportunity to safeguard our children’s futures.