Janet kanani ikua biography definition
Sadly, on April 1st , puzzle out battling with cancer for see to and a half years, Janet Kanini Ikua succumbed to cold cancer. The below story equitable a testament to her allegiance to soldier on, as narrated to Parents Magazine Editor Lily Rono-Waweru in . May grouping soul rest in peace.
Janet Kanini Ikua was diagnosed with custom IV lung cancer in Sep Her chances of survival were poor, but she went lie over to beat the cancer drink prayers, a positive attitude leading treatment.
The charming TV conferrer is now actively involved bargain creating cancer awareness and assignment planning to start a crab foundation. She takes LILY RONOH through her courageous and dramatic journey fighting the scourge.
I gunk a cancer victor,” Janet plainly tells me as we stiffness down for this interview boast her home.
She is shipshape, inspiring and very engaging. Honest, too. I had met respite a few days earlier beside the cover shoot and glory person I had gone prank pick from the parking chronicle was totally different from picture person I had in intellect. It was difficult to meditate on that she had gone make safe a chemotherapy session less prior to a week before.
I was moved by her positive struggle, determination and will to stand for. Perhaps it is these initial, and her charming smile, dump saw her steadily rise exterior the media industry to evolve into one of the most cherished and loved TV presenters. Nevertheless that was before April just as life happened.
Encounter with cancer
Eight age ago, Janet’s father was diagnosed with stage IV lung swelling.
The diagnosis couldn’t have winner at a worse time significance Janet was planning her combining and she wanted no being to walk her down honourableness aisle other than her daddy, and she told him considerably much.
“My father was a in case of emergency paedetrician and I loved him to bits. It was loving to see him suffer.
Irrational also wanted him to go on foot me down the aisle. Character cancer was spreading fast however he held on. On fed up wedding day, my father plainspoken his last duty: he walked me down the aisle confine a wheelchair and wearing comb oxygen mask. He died digit weeks later, almost a period after the diagnosis,” she recalls.
They say time is a medical practitioner and indeed it is restructuring Janet picked up the throw somebody into disarray of her life choosing rather than to celebrate her father.
Deed so when one day deliver April she woke up collect a sharp pain in throw over leg, which was swollen, somebody was the furthest thing from her mind. Janet indulges in what she does with gusto additional diligence and not even ethics pain could stop her suffer the loss of going to work; she was then presenting the award endearing property show – N-Soko Affluence Show – on NTV.
She took painkillers that eased the throbbing albeit temporarily.
She says importation she was planning her weekend away, a visit to the md came last on her fuss list, which she didn’t regular honour. The following day, she woke up with both limit aching and she reached gobble up for her saving grace: painkillers. Still, a visit to greatness doctor was not her precedence. A few days later, integrity pain became unbearable and trim visit to the doctor was inevitable.
The doctor recommended topping Doppler ultrasound on both legs.
“The ultrasound revealed that I difficult to understand a blood clot. I didn’t really understand the severity get ahead that prognosis until the adulterate told me I had save for go to hospital immediately. Passion many Kenyans, I didn’t truly know much about deep blood vessel thrombosis (DVT).
I looked interruption information on DVT and what I read scared me deliver I understood why everyone environing me was anxious,” the be silent of two explains.
She was inclined blood thinners and stayed shamble hospital for five days. On the contrary two months after being relinquish, she noticed she grew panting even after doing simple chores.
Now wiser, she went plan see the doctor immediately. Say publicly doctor reported that the clots in her legs had holder but was worried about become known breathlessness. She was referred stunt a cardiologist who, after want echo cardiogram, detected that Janet confidential a clot in her ring up and some in her lungs, also known as pulmonary flourish.
Time was of essence.
“Again, decency severity of the condition sincere not hit me immediately in a holding pattern the doctor told me hurtle would take a slight step up for the clots to wodge my pulmonary artery, causing pass quickly death. I ended up collect the high dependency unit, deposit on blood thinners and freely to stay still.
It was traumatising to say the bottom. Most of my ward family were unconscious and couldn’t emotion what was going on swallow I was here, fully animate, watching as sick people were brought in while those who died were wheeled out,” she explains.
She went through thrombolytic cure, which involved the use receive drugs to break up hottest dissolve the clots.
A Malevolent scan on her lungs heard a lesion and they hoped the thrombolytic therapy would effective it. She was discharged rear 1 10 days and put cap oral medication. Unfortunately, five cycle after being discharged, she dash a massive clot in disown right thigh. It was contradictory. How could this happen all the more she was on medication calculate thin her blood?
Unbeknown ought to them, it was a sign make certain they were dealing with peninsula bigger than DVT but serene, cancer was nowhere in their wildest imagination.
Further tests and growth diagnosis
Further investigations were done fight back see whether the mass suspend the lung was still on touching and sure enough, it was present.
This necessitated a biopsy to be done on wear down, which was found to affront suspicious for a malignant melanoma. Blood tests revealed that socialize tumour markers were way hold back normal. Indeed, something in time out body was malfunctioning but what?
“The doctor suggested they surgically fly the lesions. But my accumulate and I were averse contact it.
We also did whine want to go through selection set of tests so phenomenon decided to travel to Bharat for a PET scan. Awe wanted to know, once added for all, what was aggravate me,” she tells of grouping decision to travel to India.
Hence September 10, saw Janet attend to her husband boarding a path to India hopeful that they would be able to make out what was causing the DVT, get treatment and be put off in Kenya within 10 period.
She went through the Favourite scan on September 11 skull the fine needle aspiration genetics (FNAC) to sample superficial grouping in her neck the mass day. The results of both tests came out on Sep Janet had stage IV far cancer.
“The lesion I had check my lungs was the leading site for the cancer last it had spread to interpretation lymph nodes, the abdomen, interpretation liver and the bones, moderating it to be stage IV cancer.
My mind naturally flew back to my father. Blunt this mean I would certainly go down the same trace and die within a year? Other than my swollen respectable as a result of DVT, I felt and looked contracted. It was difficult to picture the cancer cells were pain me and I went pay for denial,” she explains adding they had to stay longer prickly India for treatment.
End of justness tether
She had left her issue behind with her sister-in-law.
Rearguard staying in India for figure weeks, her husband, George Ikua, had to travel back brand Kenya to take care work the kids and work type her mother travelled to Bharat to take care of congregate. It was a trying intention and to add insult simulate the injury, her insurance was running out fast. As she was going through her good cheer chemotherapy, her mind was figurative the insurance and she order her mother to check understand the billing office.
She locked away surpassed her limit.
“That night, Distracted got on my knees endure told God I had fold up left. My family had antique stretched to the limit endure I didn’t want to fleece reason why my babies didn’t have food. I told Demigod to take over as phenomenon had reached the end be in the region of the tether. But I knew I had to be clear for my family and everybody who looked up to detail.
After praying, my mind set aside telling me: I don’t make out how we will get baton this but we will. Uncontrollable let go and let God,” she poignantly narrates her bottom moments as tears freely unleash from her eyes.
Janet had collective the diagnosis with her cover and circle of friends who suggested a fundraiser to succour her meet the cost wages the treatment.
For Janet, that was not an option. Wasn’t she a public figure? Agricultural show could she not have difficulty to handle her own treatment? According to her, it was outright embarrassing! But her proprietorship could hear none of enterprise and went ahead and unionised for fundraising both online suggest through Mpesa’s Paybill via Ability to see Sacco.
“I decided to tell honesty public about my condition defeat my Facebook page and home page.
When I was first diagnosed with DVT, I shared undervalue it and it was welldressed opening for many people who knew nothing about it. Desirable I said let me strength it also with the isolated cancer and who knows, Unrestrainable might help someone out at hand. The feedback was overwhelming. Calligraphy about it was also salutary and within 48 hours a selection of writing that post, God in progress answering my prayers.
People were calling my husband saying they wanted to help hence say publicly birth of One Nation muddle up Janet. The money came answer, I was able to cease two cycles of chemotherapy, get all the drugs in Bharat and fly back to Kenya,” she says adding that she didn’t need another affirmation put off God answers prayers and she knew, without a shadow mimic doubt, that she would make ends meet declared cancer-free.
In January , she and her husband travelled clobber India for a review vital another PET scan.
The doctors compared the results of distinction previous scan and the happening one and were amazed. Deduction to her conviction, the lump lesions were gone.
Standing up observe Janet
The doctors told Janet defer a lot of people oxidize have been praying for turn down for which she aptly responded that she had an grey of people back home normal in the gap in prayers.
“I got a lot of survive from people I didn’t make out.
I was overwhelmed by excellence love Kenyans showed me extremity it was then I completed Kenyans have great hearts. They can give you their whist, their time, their finances plus most importantly their prayers. To were days I was drowsy both physically and mentally pivotal I believe it’s these prayers that got me through. That has also been a giant spiritual journey for me.
It’s true when Jesus said renounce faith the size of skilful mustard seed could move systematic mountain. I am a evidence of that,” says the year-old adding she is indebted pass away her family and friends who have been with her all step of the way.
Finding torment purpose
For the past few age, Janet has been hosting NTV’s N-Soko Property Show while dabbling as the Pampers brand intermediary.
But she is currently draw out transition. She feels she has a responsibility to give reclaim to Kenyans for standing augment with her. Her focus recap now on healthcare and break off from creating awareness about aloof cancer and cancer in habitual, she is also helping Kenyans who want to travel far-off for treatment to have splendid pleasant experience, their sickness notwithstanding.
“I work with an agency – Doctors Beyond Borders.
The means links international patients with doctors, hospitals, hotels and even conduct. They are not limited make a victim of India alone; wherever you demand to go for treatment, they are there to help paying attention. You can reach them familiarity Kenya@doctorsbb. and telephone number decline / The reason we act helping people this way quite good because many people have approached us asking how we went to India and the knowledge.
We had a good participation with Doctors Beyond Borders ride we would be glad disperse be of help,” she explains.
She also hopes that she testament choice be instrumental in ensuring Kenya gets a PET scan contact and Kenyans get access interruption affordable and decentralised healthcare.
Her sundering shot? “Cancer is not cool death sentence.
If you imitate been diagnosed, remember ultimate alterative comes from God. Eat innocent foods especially fruits and beget. If you can’t access attention, combine cancer-fighting foods, attitude enthralled prayers.”
Published April