Our Vision
Annually, nearly 90% of the more than 100,000 children who develop cancer in sub-Saharan Africa die. By contrast, 85% of pediatric patients with cancer survive in high-income countries, where advanced pediatric cancer care is available. The main reason these children have a higher mortality rate is due to how late they are getting diagnosed, leaving few options for treatment.
Haki Health is a 501c3 organization that aims to teach school faculty, health clinics and hospitals, such as Masaba Hospital, various pediatric cancer screenings to increase early detection of lymphoma, retinoblastoma, nephroblastoma and other common childhood cancers. In partnership with Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret, we will also train Masaba's lab pathologist how to detect cancerous cells and Masaba's physicians how to perform diagnostic procedures such as lumbar punctures, bone marrow biopsy/aspirates and tissue biopsies.
If a child is diagnosed with cancer, there are only a few facilities in the country equipped to treat pediatric cancer safely. Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital in Eldoret, where majority of the elite Kenyan runners stem from, has partnered with AMPATH to have a comprehensive pediatric oncology unit. With your help, Haki Health will cover the costs associated with transferring the patient to Moi for treatment, as well as their health insurance and treatment costs. Since nutrition plays such an important role in one's cancer journey, we would also like to provide the patient's fa​milies with some pantry staples required for adequate nutrition in Kenya.
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In addition to aiding the recognition and treatment of childhood cancer in Western Kenya, we want to also help children who've acquired burns, or other conditions that require long term hospitalizations and treatment. A child's prolonged hospitalization can completely alter a family's life. A single day away from work can affect that family's ability to cover school fees for that month, or even afford a meal. Haki Health would like to sponsor children's health insurance and medical fees to prevent a family from having to chose between their child's health and safety, versus food and education.
Haki Health will also continue ensuring access to sanitary pads for women and girls in the Chulaimbo area surrounding Masaba Hospital. Over Meg's years in Kenya she has made many lifelong friends, including John, a local tailor and very active member of the church. He sews all of the kids uniforms and makes beautiful clothing. Haki Health will partner with John to provide him with the materials and cost of labor to make reusable sanitary pads to be distributed, or picked up, free to the girls.
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Pictured is John and his family, which is always seemingly larger when frequently joined by others whom he has opened his home to.
Here, John, his wife, son and daughter are joined by neighbors and extended family members.