What motivated me to set up a charity

Catherine Arbour, Kenya 

What motivated me to start Jacan Health promotions community Based organization in Ragwe sub- county in Homay County, Kenya.

A young lady, a mother of two children privileged to join nursing training in Tanzania in 1989. Just like any other person would be excited to be in a college especially going to another country. I started my training well and completed 4 years at Shirati School of nursing Tanzania. A young nurse happy to join her family back home, and ready to start working and care for her family. Little did I know that I was coming to get my son suffering from serious illness I found my son having general body weakness, not ready to play with other children, loss of appetite, black lower lip and palpitation. We took him to Lady Margaret Hospital in Homa bay, seen by late Dr Ochola who later referred us to Kenyatta National Hospital for further management. It was a blow to us as a family, because my goal and expectation was to live well with my children since I was in college for four years. At KNH the child was diagnosed with acquired rheumatic heart disease through Dr Tom Omulo who took his time for us that we would get better treatment. We were given date for follow up and we attended cardiac clinic for children several times.

Every time we attended the clinic my son had to be injected with procaine penicillin, I could see my son in pain, would not walk well, walking slowly and dragging his legs while walking. I saw this every month when we visited the clinic. No body explained to me why my son was being injected and getting pain after every injection, and even the side effect of the drug. Doctors and nurses did not tell me how long my son was going to get injection. I was in darkness, I didn’t know what to do to my son. I could see him tearing a lot because of pain. In 1997 open heart surgery was performed and it was successful. He was discharged went home, went back to school for one term. When school was closed he went to be reviewed in KNH, the cardiac clinic and the doctor said that he going to be admitted for some investigations. Little did I know that my son will not come out of the ward.

While in the ward he developed complications of severe headache, severe vomiting, chest pain, restlessness and protruding of the eyes because of pain. He told me mom pain, mom pain. My son was in a lot of pain, I could see him looking at me thinking I would give him something to relive pain. He looked at me helplessly and there was nothing I could do, nobody to turn to. I was only to massage gently the shoulders, back and head. All these I reported to nurses but they did nothing. My son saw the doctor who did the surgery to him hoping he could come to give pain medication, or to review his pain but all was in vein. Unfortunately, the doctor went without coming to see him.

I saw my son dying in severe pain turning left and right because of pain. This was a very bad experience I saw at the death bed of my son. Nobody prepared me that death is eminent. Immediately my son died the doctor was there to certify the body, but the time I needed them the doctor was not available. The time I needed them most they were not there for me. It was a dark moment; a day I will never compare with any day in my life.

This is the reason why this idea was conceived of taking back to the community. I would not like to see any child or adult dying in pain. I would like to give information to the patients, caregivers and family member so that they should not go through the experience I had when taking care of my child. Just only a touch is very important to patient that gives them comfort and smile that child matters, that adult patient matters in whatever the condition they have. They matter until the last day of their lives. This will improve the quality of life of children and adult patients suffering from life threatening illnesses. Raise awareness to community that pain can be treated and no one should die in pain.