Martha is a hardworking 54-year-old mother from Kenya. She is a single mother of two, who are now adults. She used to run a small green grocery along the road in Ruaraka, but she is now jobless. One month ago, the structure where she used to sell her produce was brought down to pave way for the expansion of the road. She therefore has no source of income. Her oldest daughter used to work as a hotelier in Mombasa but lost her job due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which greatly affected the hospitality industry. Her son used to help Martha with the grocery shop but he is also jobless after the demolition. Their family is struggling to meet their daily needs and pay their $35 rent for their two-room home.
Martha has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $857 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Martha. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 25th. After treatment, Martha will hopefully return to a cancer-free life.
Martha says, “I am confident that I will be able to fight this disease and have a normal life. However, I don’t have means to cover for the cost of this surgery since my business went down. If I get assistance, I will greatly appreciate it.”