Mama Zipporah, Huruma Children's Orphanage founder, shares excruciating battle with cancer

Mama Zipporah, who founded Huruma Children's Orphanage in 1989, alongside her husband Pastor Isaac Kamau, has opened up on her excruciating battle with cancer and the victory thereafter.

After being diagnosed with multiple Myeloma at the Karen Hospital, Mama Zipporah would endure harrowing years - bedridden, weak and broken.

She has now shared her story with Citizen Digital, hoping to inspire others, restore hope in cancer patients and share a testimony of the Lord's steadfastness in her life.

"I walked into the bathroom to take a shower and suddenly I slipped and fell, and I was in excruciating pain. I called out for help and I was helped back to my bed. I thought the pain would go away, but as time went on the pain increased. Like any other Kenyan, I tried to self-medicate with local pain medicine, but nothing seemed to work.

This made my family concerned, and we went to Kikuyu Mission Hospital for a check-up, they diagnosed that I had a dislocation of a spinal disk and advised physiotherapy as the solution. I started physiotherapy but the pain became worse.

I went to Karen Hospital, and Dr. Kimani diagnosed me with multiple Myeloma, and advised me to be admitted to Coptic Hospital.

They did a biopsy and confirmed my worst fears; in addition, my spine had a crack. Dr. Malkit S. Riyat, a consultant haematologist-oncologist at the Aga Khan Hospital advised me to go through 6 months of Chemo with the hope that the cancer would go into remission, then later go to India and get a bone marrow transplant. Before the end of Chemo, my spine collapsed! I was in so much pain that I could not walk.

A woman who was used to doing things for herself now needed the help of others to do the basic things.

This was not only physical but also psychological trauma. I helplessly lay on the bed in unbearable pain that I had to be injected with morphine to sleep.

I was in a wheelchair and my children (Huruma Children's Home) were so scared because they thought that they would lose me. This was quite a dark period but I held on to God that He will see me through.

I immediately stopped Chemo, for an emergency back operation in India. I flew out on May 21, 2019, for the operation. It was a success because, I could stand and walk but with some assistance and the pain in my back stopped.

I resumed Chemo in July 2019 until September 2019. On September 3rd, 2019, I went back to India for a bone marrow transplant, which was a success.

I started taking medicine as the doctors advised, but my body rejected the medicine. I stopped taking the medicine as advised by the doctor but went for regular check-ups for 5 years.

In May 2024, I went for my regular check-up, and it showed that the cancer cells were multiplying again which was shown by the rise of the abnormal 'M' BAND. It had reached 1.16 and the doctor advised me to resume the chemotherapy medicine for six months.

In June 2024, I started the Chemotherapy, which I am still undergoing now. The cost of chemotherapy is high. In addition, I have children at home who depend on me for their necessities.

Its not easy, and both my children and I need your assistance in funding my medical expenses. I hope that after the chemotherapy, the cancer will go into complete remission. I thank God for my family, my children, and all the friends of the home that have been so supportive.

I would like to thank Dr. Kimani of Karen Hospital and Dr. Riat of Aga Khan Hospital for walking with me through this journey and helping me."

Mama Zipporah was born in 1957 and during her younger years, she faced physical and psychological abuse - a catalyst which inspired her desire to set up the Huruma Children's Orphanage in 1989.

Huruma Children's Orphanage started by accommodating seven children, but over the years the number of children increased, and now Huruma caters for over 150 orphans, both girls and boys. The children are between 0 and 18 years old.

The Orphanage offers the only real hope for some of Kenya's most damaged children. This unique residence provides the children with a warm homely accepting environment and education to help the children come to terms with their experiences.