Meet Laali the Cancer queen as we celebrate World Cancer Day

Her twitter bio reads; "A girl worth fighting for, a non Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer survivor strongly encouraging other warriors."

On this particular day that I hold this interview with her, she has just come from one of her many hospital visits. She is elated that today the doctor did not fix a urine drainage bag in her. She quips, "I feel free,I can walk comfortably though slowly. Thank you God!"

Meet Mary Gathoni who goes by the name Laali the cancer queen, a Non Hodgkin lymphoma cancer victim standing brave and unbowed by the disease. The Non Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the lymphatic system and occurs when the body produces too many abnormal lymphocytes.

Let's get to know you

I was born in Nyeri in a family of 9 children. I was raised by a single mother who really struggled to put food on the table for us. Many are the times we went to bed hungry. Lucky days, mother could afford one meal for all of us.  My father left us when I was in standard six only to return when I was in secondary school.

Tough adulthood

When my father returned, he threw me out of our home. He claimed that I was not part of the family and that I should go look for my real father. I felt suicidal. I left home and went to stay with another family who lived in the same neighborhood.  Since I had just cleared by secondary school studies, I decided to look for a job little did I know that I was jumping from the frying pan into the fire. My employer wanted to forcefully marry me off to his drunkard son. I ran away from my work place and later found another job at a hotel.

Laali undergoing a procedure at the hospital

When were you diagnosed with the disease?

I remember that day like it was yesterday.
I was 20 years and had just sat for my final secondary school examinations. I was in the period of waiting for the results when doctors diagnosed me with the disease. I wished the earth could open and swallow me.  The news drained my energy. I thought to myself, I must be cursed and I'll definitely die. I was traumatised. How could this happen to me at such a tender age just as I was beginning to shape my life?

What are some of your challenges and low moments?

Majorly stigma especially from people who do not understand the pains and needs of a person suffering from cancer. Cancer treatment is very expensive and it has drained all my money. At times I do not have enough money to buy meals.  I live from hand to mouth. Carrying the cancer tag as a youth is the most hardest for me. Cancer scares me beyond belief.  It takes my breath away. It makes me feel so small in a big fight. Cancer has no rhyme or reason. Cancer takes aim and shoots without a thought, without a care in the world.

What makes you share your healing journey on social media

Foremost, is for my self healing. I feel relieved when I tell my over seven thousand followers how my day went at the hospital. I also do it to give hope to youth suffering from cancer to uplift their trodden hearts.

What small wins do you celebrate?

Like the fact that today I didn't have a urine drainage bag inserted in me.

How has your faith helped you battle the disease?

I may be in much pain but I trust in God. I may not attend a church service because of my condition, but I still trust in him. My prayers might not be answered but I believe.

Do you belong to any social support group?

Yes. I have registered the Hope for Youth Against Cancer group.  I use the platform as a meeting place for youths fighting cancer and who have lost hope. We share our stories, visit one another in hospitals and share love and encouragement. I share my salary with affected youths and assist them to buy drugs, food or bus fare to the hospital.

Laali visiting a member of her support group

What is your appeal to the government?

I hope in 2020 the government will take cancer seriously. I hope chemotherapy will be available and affordable to patients.  Government must emphasis more on screening  and create awareness especially in rural areas.  I look forward to when our referral hospitals won't turn away cancer patients or force them to sleep along the corridors.