Six hours to live: Langat's journey from near death to cancer advocacy

After two years of persistent stomach pain, Erick Langat went to Tenwek Hospital in Bomet County for what he thought would be a routine check-up.

But within hours he was undergoing major surgery that would change his life forever.

Doctors at the hospital discovered through tests that the 69-year-old had colon cancer with a tumor dangerously close to bursting.

This would have been fatal according to doctors who attended to him at the facility.

"After registering as an outpatient, I went through some tests and an X-ray, expecting to get medication for my persistent stomach problem. But soon after, I found myself surrounded by doctors who asked to remove my shoes and put me in a wheelchair. Everything happened so fast I couldn’t understand what was going on," Langat said.

The events of January 15, 2015, for Mr Langat, a resident of Mogindo village in Ndarawetta Ward, Bomet County, remain vivid as if they had happened yesterday.

“I was asked to call a relative since I had come alone, and I filled in some forms. It wasn’t until later that I realised how serious the situation was,” he said in an interview with Nation.Africa.

Doctors later told him that if he had delayed seeking treatment by even six hours, his tumor could have burst, potentially killing him.

That was Mr Langat’s start of a long battle with cancer that stretched for seven years seeing him in and out of hospitals.

"After the surgery at Tenwek Hospital and a two-week stay as an inpatient, I was referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret for chemotherapy," Langat explained.

He was scheduled for 12 chemotherapy sessions but only managed to complete nine due to financial constraints and the toll the treatment took on his body.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa due to limited access to treatment and late diagnosis.

According to Kenya’s Ministry of Health, it ranks as the third leading cause of death in the country, posing a significant burden to families across urban and rural areas.

Former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha reported that Kenya sees an average of 42,000 cancer cases annually, with 27,000 resulting in death. These numbers could be higher due to a lack of widespread screening.

The most common cancers in Kenya are breast cancer (18.3 per cent), cervical cancer (14.7 percent), prostate cancer (6.7 percent), and esophageal cancer (5 per cent). Bomet County has recently been in the spotlight for a spike in esophageal cancer cases.

“It’s by the grace of God that I’m alive today. That I’ve fully recovered is nothing short of a miracle,” said Mr Langat.

His struggle with cancer left him financially drained.

"The most important thing is that I’m alive. I’m a survivor and I’m here to share my story to give hope to others that recovery is possible," he said.

Since his recovery, Mr Langat has taken it upon himself to raise cancer awareness in his community, encouraging early screening and treatment to avoid the high costs and loss of lives that can come with late diagnosis.

"I’m grateful to the doctors at Tenwek and MTRH for saving my life, and to my family for supporting me through this journey," Langat said.

His treatment costs were so high that he was forced to sell his land, plots, and other assets, exhausting his savings.

At the time, the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) didn’t cover cancer treatment leaving him to foot the bills on his own. Twice, relatives and friends organised fundraisers to help him pay for treatment.

But the money wasn’t enough.

"Family and friends are often the only support system for cancer patients, especially those from humble backgrounds like mine. But even they can desert you when the burden becomes too great," Langat admitted.

“The hardest part is the psychological torture—lying in that hospital bed, not knowing what the next hour or day will bring. The side effects of chemotherapy are also tough to deal with.”

For him, the most noticeable side effect was the darkening of his skin which made it difficult for doctors to find veins for intravenous injections.

"I had to stop chemotherapy after the ninth session because the doctors couldn’t find a vein for the IV line. I was supposed to return for a procedure to insert a central line, but I stayed away from the hospital for a long time because I couldn’t afford it," Langat said.

When he finally returned to the hospital weeks later, the doctor advised him to undergo tests to assess his progress.

"After several tests, I was told that I had fully recovered. I was given a clean bill of health, and I’ve been fine ever since," Langat said, pointing to scars on his abdomen from the surgery.

Following the operation, Mr Langat had to use colostomy bags to pass waste.

"Using colostomy bags was a terrible experience. I smelled like a walking toilet, and no one wanted to be near me," Langat recalled. He explained that a single colostomy bag costs between Sh600 and Sh1,200, depending on the quality.

Since he couldn’t afford the high-quality ones, which lasted longer, he had to rely on cheaper options that were harder to recycle.

“I stayed outdoors most of the time to avoid the smell inside the house. But at night, my family had to endure it,” Langat said.

Now healed from the trauma, Langat urges others suffering from cancer to seek treatment early and share their experiences with fellow patients and survivors.

"The government must register cancer patients and survivors, and set up a fund for their care during treatment and recovery,” he said.

Dr Stephen Omondi from Longisa County Referral Hospital’s Oncology department highlighted that most cancer cases are diagnosed late due to a lack of awareness.

"We are pushing for early screening and treatment to save lives, but unfortunately, many cases that come to us are already in stages three or four," Dr Omondi told Nation.Africa.

He also appealed to the government to make cancer screening mandatory to help reduce the mortality rate.

"Lack of equipment in public hospitals contributes significantly to the late diagnosis of cancer," Dr. Omondi noted. “The elderly are particularly vulnerable because they often ignore persistent pains, relying on painkillers instead of getting screened.”

President William Ruto has promised that cancer treatment will soon be free under the Social Health Authority (SHA), the successor to NHIF, which is set to be dissolved by the end of September 2024.

Under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme, both cancer screening and treatment will be covered for free in public hospitals.

According to the Cancer Registry Data, 70 per cent of cancer cases in Kenya are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

The US has been a major contributor to Kenya’s efforts to combat cancer.

“The US is the largest contributor to Kenya’s health sector with $600 million set aside for the course,” Ms Whitman said last year.

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