Shortly after doctors diagnosed her with acute Leukaemia, Kimberly Arungah, 28, though not here to tell us her story, embarked on a journey to fight the life threatening disease, documenting it on Facebook, until pneumonia took her down.
WAMBUI MURIITHI takes us through her courageous journey that inspired many For most people, being diagnosed with of cancer is a life changing event.
Shock, fear, anger, sadness, loneliness and anxiety are just a few of the emotions they experience on a roller coaster, probably why many choose to keep it to themselves. Now add on the pressures of the Kenyan setting, where cancer has remained a strange disease, probably owing to the fact that it is hardly understood and rarely many get cured.
Some even think it is a curse or punishment from God. Never mind that even within highly engaged communities the willingness to talk about it with friends and family is low. It is hard to imagine that one can rise above all of it and share about that thing people still whisper about —cancer — with the world.
“Hey everybody! My name is Kimberley and I’m going to give you regular updates during my journey with Leukaemia”, was the update on Kimberly Arungah’s Facebook page called ‘Kimberly Arungah, My Journey With Leukaemia.
Her first post radiated with her characteristic upbeat nature and positivity. To her, it was not an illness nor a fight, it was a journey, and in this way she inspired many. The probable initial intention was to raise money for her treatment through the Facebook page intended to reach a small group of friends and family.
However, there was no telling that in the two months it was up and running it would garner close to 12,000 followers, and become much more than fundraising. It was started on 9th December, with Kimberly giving a brief description of what she had in mind for the group and what had been going on in her life.
Epilepsy started from the age of 12 or 13…” She told of how she was in and out of hospital, taking medicine after medicine, suffering side effects and having to be confined in the house due to low immunity matter-of-factly and not in any way seeking pity.
She also invited people to take the journey with her by encouraging them to keep reading and asking questions. The family was able to raise funds and Kimberly travelled to India with her mother Rozie Muthoni for treatment.
She took us with her to Apollo Hospital in Ahmedabad, India, where treatment started immediately. Her first picture while in hospital was of her giving the thumbs up sign, numerous tubes plugged in on her and and oxygen mask notwithstanding. Photo after photo, post after post, she kept her audience involved.
What stood out was her intense belief in God and the conviction she held that she would be healed. She dated all her photos and described the tests she was taking. “MRI, EEG, blood counts, bone marrow, X-ray.
I have never done so many tests in one week. But hey! the earlier the better,” she wrote ever optimistically. She started her chemotherapy on the 28th of December.
“Whew, wow! That experience was not so good,” she wrote. “They were pricking me and cutting all the while expecting me not to move… pray for me… thank you Lord for helping me through that excruciating experience. Thanks for your prayers and support,” she ended bravely with her usual sign off.
“God loves you.” “Praying for you” “Be healed Kimmy dear,” people cheered her on. She documented all the physical fluctuations her body experienced and the treatments she underwent, giving definitions and further information where necessary.
Amidst the pain and discomfort, Kimbelry never failed to cheer with her perception of life. For instance she named her IV stand, Tiara because she had to walk everywhere with it and thus had become ‘her new best friend.’
Whenever Tiara carried a lesser load she would make sure to point it out. Team Kimberly knew the inside of the hospital like they were there themselves, we knew her doctor, Dr Ravish, we knew the nurses and fellow patients, we also knew that every Sunday at the hospital they would get a special cocktail of multi-vitamins she liked to call ‘Sunday Special’.
Perhaps the most touching moment was when she talked of how disheartening it was to lose her hair. In her support, her aunt Fredah Njama, and father shaved their hair too and posted it on the Facebook wall. “Hey Kimmy, I told you I’d shave mine off too! I’m so proud of you!” her dad Fred Arungah wrote, while her aunt’s description for it was a catchy “Rocking my bald.”
Other followers also posted pictures of their bald head to show their support. Things were looking up. “Unfortunately I am now being treated for pneumonia, a common complication following chemo. This is a little scary I must admit, but I am finding my strength in the faithful God,” was the last post Kimberly ever wrote.
We suppose the pneumonia came with a lot of complications, because the next post on the page was that she had been transferred to ICU and her condition was critical, but stable.
Team Kimberly prayed and waited with bated breath. On Valentines Day, however, to the shock of many, we were told that Kimmy had passed on. Over 4,000 people commented on the posts about her death. “RIP Kimmy.” Even though she is gone, what she did lives on.
Kimberly brought hope to people, showed them what being positive in life was, despite all it may throw your way.
Grace Munuhe, who was a follower of Kimberly on the page says about her,:“Kimberly was simply an angel sent from heaven. “For five years after I lost my dad to cancer I was in such pain. I sank into deep depression and almost lost everything.” Grace says.
“I was so inspired by Kimmy. I looked at how she went through her journey with such faith in God. She had a smile always despite all the pain she was in and she lived such a full life in her short life.” Grace was so inspired by Kimberly that she attended the burial meetings.
“I just wanted to connect with the family and let them know that her suffering was not for nothing. She is a hero. I really hated God after the loss of my dad, but when I saw her love for Him, I was amazed. Kimberly has taught me to fight on no matter what!
Every time I want to complain I remember her face and just shut up,” she said. Pauline Wanjau, Kimberly’s cousin says that they were amazed at how many people offered their support during the burial.
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