Mitchell Riavi, a grade six pupil at Mubwayo primary school started experiencing abnormal growth in her breast last year and since then her breast has been growing without stopping.
According to the 14 years girl, staying with her grandparents when the problem started she thought it was a normal body change in her teenage but the problem kept on worsening forcing her to seek medical attention.
She narrated that she visited Mukhobola health centre last year but she was referred to Port Victoria Sub-county Hospital, unfortunately, she was referred to Moi Teaching and referral hospital but due to the vulnerability of her family they could not afford to go to Eldoret.
Her relatives opted to take her to Coast general hospital in Mombasa but unfortunately, she could not get the medication she wanted.
She was later returned home without treatment, which forced her to drop out of school to stay at home due to pain and stigmatization from her classmates.
“It began in December last year and I thought it was a normal change in my teenage life. My breast started swelling. My grandparents took me to Mukhobola health centre but they were unable and referred me to Port Victoria Hospital,” she recounts.
“The hospital could not handle it but instead, they referred me to Agha Khan or Moi teaching and referral hospitals, unfortunately, we didn’t have money to afford the treatment where we were referred instead my uncles took me to Coast General Hospital, where they tried but still they were unable to address it. That is how I was brought back home.”
Despite overgrowing, Mitchell says the breast are discharging certain fluids and very it is painful.
“Besides experiencing pain, the breasts are discharging certain fluid that makes it difficult for me to continue with classes. I had to drop out of school for fear of stigmatization. I am just appealing for any well-wisher to step in and help me find treatment so that I can resume learning,” she said
Ms Angeline Taabu, Mitchell’s grandmother says her effort to seek medical attention for her granddaughter has not been fruitful due to their financial status.
“When we realised the problem, we thought it was a normal body change in any teenage girl but when her breast kept growing that is when we knew there was a problem.
We went to the nearby Mukhobola health centre then we were referred to Port Victoria Hospital where they told us to go to Agha Khan or Moi Teaching and referral hospital but we could not go due to our financial status,” she noted
“I am appealing for any well-wisher to come in and give a helping hand to see to it that my granddaughter gets medication to enable her to go back to school. All the hospitals we have visited non has addressed the problem,” she said
Her sentiments were echoed by Mr Boniface Mara adding that due to the vulnerability of the family, Mitchell has not received the serious medical attention she requires to be well.
“You can see the current status of this family, they can’t afford medication for Mitchell. They have been moving from one hospital to another but in vain. If we can get a well-wisher to come to her aid we will appreciate it so that the girl can go back to school and live a normal girl,” said Mr Mara
However, Mr James Mabele one of the well wisher came to her aid by covering her medical bill.
According to him, he flew Mitchell, her grandmother, and one of the nurses to Nairobi where she will undergo surgery to fix the problem.
“I may not be able to do much, but I booked surgery for the girl where she will undergo an operation on Thursday. Looking at the status of this family you will realise they require assistance and that is why I came in to give a helping hand,” he said
He appealed to other well-wishers including politicians to come and help Mitchell get the medication she require before she goes back to school.
He challenged the county government to equip health facilities in the county to be able to address such cases to avoid a situation where patients are being referred to other counties for medication.
“The family went all the way to Coast general hospital in Mombasa to seek medication spending a lot of money travelling to Mombasa, but they could have saved it if services were offered here,” he said
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