State, please rescue us from jaws of cancer

Cancer survivors create awareness about the disease during a charity walk in Kisumu on November 7, 2018. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • It made him suffer excruciating pain, and mocked us; watching us deplete our meagre resources trying to treat Bamzhere as friends gave up on him.
  • What does the government’s Big Four Agenda offer to the fight against cancer? Can we direct more resources towards fighting the disease?

According to the Giriama indigenous religion, when we die, we do not get judged, go to heaven or go to hell. Instead, we get a beautiful promotion; we become “K’oma”.

Our business ends as human beings, and we get new responsibilities as spirits in the spirit world. We get away from this current situation of persistent competition, corruption, joblessness, worry and diseases.

And so it happened to Bamzhere – Father’s elder brother; he became a K’oma recently. Bamzhere had not been well for like four years. Cancer.

It had something to do with his genitals, as the doctor had put a tube to help him pass water.

It has not been easy for Bamzhere. It has not been easy for the family and friends. In true cancer fashion, the disease struck Bamzhere silently, like a thief at night.

It then took him to expensive doctors who made him poorer than he already was. The cancer took a little break after the doctor’s surgery, giving us hope that Bamzhere was cured.

PAIN

And then it struck back with more ruthlessness. This time it rid him in bed, and made him fully dependent on others.

It made him suffer excruciating pain, and mocked us; watching us deplete our meagre resources trying to treat Bamzhere as friends gave up on him.

It took more of its time this illness, many months of detention and torture, before it finally took him away.

I once visited Bamzhere in hospital and, upon making the customary enquiry about how he was fairing, Bamzhere told me that if he found a bottle of bedbug poison, he would drink it so that he defeats cancer; so that he gets to rest.

Who needs another hell after that? Thankfully, Bamzhere was an adherent of the Giriama indigenous religion, which does not teach of hell. Bamzhere is now a peaceful, powerful K’oma.

I could not attend his funeral. However, the last time I was at home I kind of already paid my last respects to Bamzhere.

I left with a clear mind that I might not see him again. You may be wondering how I did it, so let me tell you.

TOBACCO

The doctor had stopped Bamzhere from using tobacco. But this day I visited him in the hospital, he had a really bad craving for his snuff.

Upon seeing me, Bamzhere asked if I was “also born again”. I was taken aback. Why? I asked.

He said because he really needed his snuff and everyone around him was born again – cannot touch tobacco. So, I told him there was no problem, I would help.

He put his hands in his trousers’ pockets as if searching for something, took out a crumpled Sh100 note, handed it to me, and gave me directions on where to buy the snuff.

I went out, bought the snuff, and brought it to him – plus his money for I had used mine. He was very thankful. And I was happy to have put a smile on his face; perhaps the last one that I would ever see from him.

VICTIMS

When I visited the hospital the next day, the doctor was furious. "We asked him to stop taking tobacco. Where is he getting it from now? The whole room is full of tobacco spit!"

And I looked away, smiling, as if I did not know what the good doctor was talking about.

They buried Bamzhere’s human remains at grandfather's farm in Nzovuni, Bamba, Kilifi County. He is the latest addition to my list of “those I know that succumbed to cancer”.

The list is growing frighteningly long – I am very afraid about who will be next.

The words of a reggae song I heard long time ago keep haunting my ears: “You read about it in the news, but you don’t believe it. You’ll only know about it, when the man in the long black coat knocks on your door, “cause you’re his next victim”.

And I cannot stop thinking about how we can change the situation.

What does the government’s Big Four Agenda offer to the fight against cancer? Can we direct more resources towards fighting the disease?

Karisa is a doctoral fellow of disability studies at the University of Cape Town