The Story
Janet Kanini Ikua is the mother to a five-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter and the wife to George Ikua and resides in Nairobi, Kenya. She is a TV host to NTV’s N-Soko Property Show and a former NTV News Anchor in Nairobi. Some of you may know her as Janet Ikua or Kanini or simply as Janee (say Zhanéé). Whichever name you use, Kanini is a face that many are familiar with; one we have come to love and her demeanor is characterized with big smiles and a vibrant personality.
Kanini’s challenging health journey began in April of this year (2015) when she was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) that had resulted in blood clots in her legs. For two months she received what at the time appeared to be successful treatment in Nairobi. But a racing heart and breathlessness after minimal physical effort remained a concern to the doctor. In mid-June, Kanini would learn from a cardiologist, Dr. Muriithi Nyamu, that there was a blood clot in her heart and in the pulmonary artery leading to her lungs. She was immediately admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care/High Dependency Unit. During this hospital stay, she underwent a minimally invasive BUT critical, very high risk procedure to remove the clot in her heart. Ten days later, Kanini walked out of the hospital.
God had heard the prayers! and for this we are grateful. Janee was finally home with hubby and her two young ones.
Two weeks later during a routine check-up the doctors confirmed a clot had recurred in her right leg. Fortunately, Dr. Nyamu had inserted a blood filter that stopped the clot from making its way to vital organs. Over the next few weeks in July and August, Kanini went through more checks, including a bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, gastroscopy so that the docs could figure out what was the source of the frequent clotting despite getting blood thinners and wearing compression stockings. The bronchoscopy revealed an “unidentified” mass in her lungs.
What is sooo amazing about Kanini during all this time is her vibrant spirit and upbeat attitude. In August, she even managed to sneak back to work and host a couple of shows to create DVT awareness and also joined her Precious Blood (Nairobi) High school classmates for their 20th year reunion.
Anyhow, there is only so much prodding and poking that one can take especially when plausible answers and diagnoses are evasive. What Janee needed was a PET scan. The CT and MRI scans were not, in her case, adequate to give the docs that medical “aha” moment. There isn’t a PET scanner in Kenya – probably because PET is nuclear medicine that uses a radioactive substance and requires highly-specialized facilities and expertise. The operating costs also are prohibitively high.
In September, Kanini (with hubby) decided to go to New Delhi, India where she could receive medical answers and proper, thorough diagnoses.
On September 13, Kanini received another diagnosis – the PET scan (and additional tests) revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung that has spread to the abdomen and lymph nodes in the neck area. Sadly and simply put, that unidentified mass in her lungs turned out to be stage 4-lung cancer that has spread from the primary site to other areas. This was not the medical answer that Kanini was expecting.
The silver lining is that her medical team has come up with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes scheduled cycles of chemotherapy and Kanini remains her usual upbeat and positive self.
Kanini is still in New Delhi, India and currently undergoing the initial cycle of chemotherapy treatment.
Dear family and friends and well-wishers, this is where we really need your help. Kanini is only in her 30s, a wife and young mother of two. We know and trust that she will beat this but she needs your financial support to help cover the medical expenses so that she, in turn, can focus her energy on getting well. We appreciate all donations and no amount is too little. Your donation will help cover Janee’s medical bills and expenses associated with getting the medical treatments that she needs.
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