Coast KCPE star Mary Mutua succumbs to cancer after brave battle

Mary Kamanthe Mutua, who scored 415 marks in the 2018 KCPE exams at Amani Primary School in Mikindani, is pictured smiling on November 21, 2018 despite receiving news of a cancer diagnosis. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mary topped her class with 415 marks out of 500 and emerged the best at Amani Primary School. She learnt shortly after that she had the killer disease.
  • The parents of the girl, who had been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, were planning to take her to India a second time for treatment.
  • Mary died at 5.59pm on Tuesday. Her father asked the public to help him foot the Sh1.3 million bill.

Mary Mutua, a 2018 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) star, who was battling cancer has succumbed to the disease at the Coast Provincial General Hospital in Mombasa.

The parents of the girl, who had been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, were planning to take her to India a second time for treatment.

Kenyans, moved by her plight which was published by the Nation in March, made donations of more than Sh700,000 for her treatment.

She began chemotherapy following initial treatment in India, but returned to Kenya after the money ran out.

DIAGNOSIS

The 14-year-old was diagnosed with the disease about three weeks before the start of the national examinations.

Her father, Mr Josephat Mutua hid all the medical files that showed the cause of her sickness until after the exams.

Mary topped her class with 415 marks out of 500 and emerged the best at Amani Primary School.

Her dream of joining Bunyore Girls' High School in Vihiga County was delayed as she had to seek medical attention in India.

The Ministry of Education had, however, assured her of a slot in a national school of her choice after her condition improved.

RESOLVE

Mary's parents said they kept the cancer a secret because they did not want her stressed as she prepared for the tests.

A firstborn and only girl in her family, she cried after learning she had the killer disease but resolved to fight it.

When the Nation last spoke to Mary two months ago, she said the chemotherapy was going well and that she looked forward to joining secondary school.

“I will fight this disease. I will achieve my dreams of becoming a doctor. I want to help other children suffering from cancer," she said as she laughed her heart out heartily. "I thank Kenyans, my parents and friends for praying for me and standing by me. It is now my turn to fight.”

Following news of Mary's death, residents of Mikindani expressed their grief in gatherings and on social media.

A neighbour said, “She had been fighting bravely. She improved only for us to learn that the succumbed to the disease. Why, God? Why has cancer stolen our bright star [sic]?”

CHEMOTHERAPY

Mary's father said he had already contacted the HCG Cancer Centre in Mumbai.

“They told me I could send her there without the money and pay later. We wanted her to stabilise for a flight and go back to India for the chemotherapy,” Mr Mutua said.

The father of three said his daughter had been undergoing chemotherapy at Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa.

He told the Nation that after the procedure, which was done in sessions of five days under the in-patient service, Mary had shown signs of recovery.

“She was okay after the first, second and third cycles. In fact, during the second cycle she was improving and even managing my shop," Mr Mutua said.

"But in the fourth cycle she started getting worse. She began vomiting and feeling dizzier and more sickly. She could not swallow anything as she had wounds in her mouth and throat. Water was her only food."

LAST MOMENTS

On the night of May 17, Mary was rushed to the CPGH and admitted.

A lab test found that she had a throat and mouth infection.

Mary's condition worsened as her blood level and platelet count dropped.

“I looked for donors who gave blood but she later developed breathing problems. Yesterday, I was called by the doctors who wanted to take her to an Intensive Care Unit to monitor her pressure,” Mr Mutua said on Tuesday.

“An ambulance came and rushed her to the ICU at 11pm on Monday. But at the casualty area, while waiting for the doctor, she started having breathing problems so they gave her oxygen. The doctor told me her heart had swollen and that her lungs had fluid. As they prepared to take her to ICU, she died peacefully."

He added, "She was her bubbly self in the ambulance. She told me to buy her chips. I rushed to buy the food but she had only one piece."

Mary died at 5.59pm on Tuesday. Her father asked the public to help him foot the Sh1.3 million bill.

Her body was taken to the Pandya Memorial Hospital morgue.