Hello! My name is Gladys and I  am a passionate Palliative Care Specialist Nurse and counselling psychologist working at the Pain and Palliative Care Unit at Kenyatta National Hospital. I coordinate palliative care services at the hospital and really enjoy training and mentoring students from different institutions in Kenya and beyond.

My training includes a Bachelor of Science in Palliative Care from Makerere University in Uganda, a Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care from Cardiff University in the UK, and a Fellowship from St Christopher’s Training Institute (UK) in collaboration with the Institute of Palliative Care Medicine in Kerala, India. I am also a certified End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) trainer through ELNEC-USA.

I am actively involved in cancer care and research initiatives. In 2016, I had the privilege of pioneering the Patient Navigation Program at the Cancer Treatment Center, Kenyatta National Hospital. This American Cancer Society–supported program was the first of its kind in Africa and has greatly improved the experience of patients and their families.

I have also coordinated a clinical audit and quality improvement project that led to the development of a standard of care guideline for the management of cancer cachexia—the first guideline of its kind globally—which is currently in the process of publication.

Beyond clinical work, I am passionate about building strong nursing communities. I am a co-founder of the Oncology Nurses Chapter–Kenya, where I previously served as treasurer and now serve as a board member.

In 2023, after noticing the low uptake of palliative care training, I founded the Palliative Care Nurses Society of Kenya (PANUSK). I brought together fellow palliative care nurses to establish and register the society, and I currently serve as its president. This work is very close to my heart as it focuses on growing, supporting, and strengthening palliative care nursing in Kenya.

It is great to be part of the GPNN.