Go for cancer screening, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta tells Kenyans

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has appealed to Kenyans to take advantage of the Cancer Month and go for screening against the disease saying early detection saves many lives of those affected.

She especially encouraged residents of Meru County, where reports of increased cancer prevalence are raising serious concerns, to present themselves for screening.

Increased cases of cancer especially those affecting the mouth, throat, mandibles and stomach, have been reported in parts of Meru. Various health stakeholders have raised the red flag and called for immediate interventions against the disease.

The First Lady said screening, early detection and treatment against the disease are the surest measures to contain the problem.

The First Lady was speaking at the SOS Children’s Village, Meru during the institution’s 10^th Anniversary Celebrations and Charity Walk. She is the patron of the SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya.

The First Lady said the population of orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya currently stands at three million but added that Kenyans have the means and know-how to support these children so that they grow into responsible Kenyans.

She called for greater partnerships between SOS Children’s Villages across the country and other like-minded organizations, together with the government both at national and county level.

The First Lady said every Kenyan child, whether born in a family or not, should be able to enjoy the love, affection and a home offered by the SOS villages.

“It is essential that every child understands that he or she has a home – not only in beautiful buildings, but particularly in the hearts and minds of the SOS mothers, co-workers and everyone who is part of the SOS”, said the First Lady.

She said all children in Kenya should be treated equally and none should be considered as mere statistics or figures in national files.

The First Lady said the SOS villages have over the years demonstrated that the best way to bring up a child who has lost their family is to give him or her new family that provides safety within a strong lifelong relationship.

“We have been successful in this regard because we believe that such a child is a person; an individual human being and not a file or a number,” she said.

The First Lady was received at the home by Meru County Governor Peter Munya and the SOS Children’s Villages Kenya Board of Trustees Chairman, Dr Martin Oduor.