The reggae queen who was known as Fyah Mummah has been battling endometriosis.
She underwent countless number of surgeries as her lungs collapsed every month.
She was admitted in hospital two weeks ago when she also appealed for help to manage her condition
The extent of the disease had spread to her teeth, heart, appendix and affected her spine causing organs to shift to the left.
On May 19, 2024 she wrote a message to president Ruto during his US visit.
“This is a sincere and heartfelt call of help to a few Kenyan leaders but allow me to address this to President @WilliamsRuto first as he makes his state visit to the US. Mr. President, one of the thematic areas in your visit is investment in health.
Atlanta, Georgia is a dream city for every young girl and woman who has ever battled this horrific disease called Endometriosis. Therein lies a centre dedicated to restoring the lives of young girls and women who are crippled by this disease. Endometriosis is tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing on other organs. In simple terms, ni wakati tunapopata hedhi, ama periods, we shed the lining of the uterus. Unfortunately, with Endometriosis that lining grows on other parts of the body.
In my case that lining grew on my lungs, causing my lungs to collapse every month and countless number of surgeries. It took me 17 years to get a diagnosis. The damage caused due to late diagnosis and lack of treatment in our country.
After fundraising for specialised treatment, the extent of the disease had spread to my teeth, heart, appendix and affected my spine causing my organs to shift to the left. The adverse effects of Endometriosis and Adenomyosis cause infertility. 1 in 10 women are battling Endometriosis worldwide. The numbers are staggering. Due to our traditions and taboos, young girls and women are shamed to believe that period pain is normal. Period pain is not normal.
As you commence your State visit tomorrow to the US, I’d like to kindly add a few visits that would help the millions of Kenyan women battling in silence. @HillaryClinton is the Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary Below The Belt.
@SenWarren has been at the forefront fighting for more funding into research for Endometriosis as well as leading awareness causes amongst her colleagues. It would be a game-changer for the Kenyan delegation to visit the Center For Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, Georgia. Send our gynaecologists, pulmonogists, neurologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists for further training or fellowships. Since time immemorial, our aunties, grandmother’s and relatives were ostracised by the community due to infertility. It’s taken generations for us to debunk these myths and diseases like Endometriosis are the lead cause of infertility. Endometriosis has no known cure but the gold standard of treatment is through a skilled surgery known as excision. This is a full-body disease that requires extreme skill, diagnosis, treatment and post-recovery management. Endometriosis is not just a women’s disease. It requires all our support and dedication to raise awareness, fund research and ensure we can live pain free lives.
It would also be prudent to listen to testimonials of women who survived this disease and are now the toughest warriors in raising awareness about the effects of this disease, medical debt and the struggle to get a listening ear.
@EndoWhat Shannon Cohn directed the documentary Below The Belt as a survivor who sought to make a difference with @HillaryClinton.
Heather Guidone is a great administrator and on the front line to advocate for access to quality treatment, affordable medication and insurance policies that cover Endometriosis patients.
I’m writing to the ones in leadership as a concerned citizen and a recovering Endometriosis Survivor.
Mr. President, take 10 women you know of, some in Parliament, some in the Senate, some within the parties, 1 has Endometriosis. In both the opposition and the ruling party, this has been a silent issue amongst the women leaders.
I write out of desperation for the hundreds of young girls in need of specialised treatment and surgery in order to alleviate the years of pain, loss of blood, loss of body function, loss of our careers, dreams and goals.
This disease takes hundreds of millions of dollars to treat and manage after years of damage to various organs of the body and side-effects. This is a humble request to visit the above mentioned to help in the thematic agenda of healthcare.
There are more than 100 fundraisers currently running for women and young girls fighting for their lives in seeking help and this runs to more than 100 million dollars collectively. Hear our cries and help the women of this country.”
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