• Robert Ndegwa started smoking in high school, developed cancer and lost his larynx, or voice box.
• He now uses an electrolarynx, a medical device about the size of a small electric razor, to produce clearer speech. He raises his voice to campaign against tobacco.
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
Robert Ndegwa started smoking while in high school.
He developed cancer of his larynx in 2003 because of smoking. The larynx was removed and in its place he now has an electronic voice box, a voice generator.
Now he lifts is voice to campaign against tobacco.
Monday was World No Tobacco Day, its theme, 'Commit to Quit.' Ndegwa told his story:
Ndegwa was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx by doctors at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
They recommended chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells in his throat. He almost gave up because of the pain.
“I felt like quitting therapy quit because of the pain but I had a very encouraging wife who urged me to continue till the end. I suffered because of the pain, I wasn't able to eat anything and I became very weak," Ndegwa said.
“All this time I was praying to that I recover and I vowed to myself that when I recover I will campaign against tobacco use until my dying day,” he added.
Ndegwa said he suffered loss of saliva and sores on his tongue. There was financial and psychological pain as well.
The cancer recurred seven years later.
This time, KNH doctors recommended surgery to remove his larynx. He travelled to India for 10 to 12 hours of surgery. He was hospitalised for two and a half months.
“By the time I came out of the theatre, I didn’t have a voice box and I could not talk, I could only whisper. All these are consequences of cigarette smoking,” he said.
He returned to Kenya after successful surgery but was fed on liquids through nasogastric tubes for six months.
He now uses an electrolarynx, a medical device the size of a small electric razor. It produces clearer speech by those who have lost their voice box, usually due to cancer of the larynx.
The device costs at least Sh120,000.
“As I continued recovering, I continued telling myself I will continue campaigning against tobacco use so I can save somebody else who won't have to go through the same thing I went through," Ndegwa said.
Tobacco is a major risk factor for Non Communicable Diseases such as cancer, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
National anti-drug abuse CEO Victor Okioma said the latest 2017 statistics indicate the prevalence rate of tobacco among those aged 15 to 65 years is 8.3 per cent. Alcohol and tobacco account for the highest burden of substance use disorders.
The national prevalence for alcohol use disorders is 10.4 per cent while that of tobacco use disorders is 6.8 per cent.
WHO sponsored the upgrading of the anti-drug abuse toll-free hotline 1192 so it captures more data on trends.
Data show the number of Kenyans calling the cessation helpline has been on the rise from 12 per cent in the first week of May to 60 per cent in the third week.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said despite tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship having been banned in Kenya, new products that have been manufactured and traded in an attempt to subvert the law.
His speech was read by director of Public Health Dr Kepha Ombacho.
The CS said the manufacturers claim the products are either non-tobacco or non-nicotine. They include nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn tobacco and other products.
“These products that mimic tobacco products are also regulated as tobacco products," Kagwe said.
"I call on county governments and customs departments to ensure all enforcement officers confiscate such products and take the necessary action against those that are culpable."
(Edited by V. Graham)
Image: FILE