When I first met Thomas Chacha, I was overwhelmed with curiosity. I really needed to know what drove a man to walk 500km to raise awareness about cervical cancer. I had spoken to him on the phone while he was on the road with his team headed to Nairobi on foot. I was part of a team organising a cancer awareness 'Relay for Life' event and his son reached me on social media, asking if we could recognize Chacha and team at the event. Suffice it to say, Chacha and team arrived at our even, received with pomp and flare.
In the course of the event, I sat with this man and was awed by him. His passion for the cervical cancer agenda was unmatched, under his humble demeanor. We struck a cord and became kindred spirirts. Here was a man who understood my hunger to do something about a cancer that is totally preventable but continues to kill, plunder and loot from our women, all because of poverty, unsound government policies and ignorance of the populace.
As expected, our two organisations, Smile Woman CBO and Swiftmed Solutions, held formal discussions and within a month, the Step by Step Cervical Cancer Campaign was born. We have tirelessly toiled to form partnerships necessary to ensure delivery of what the Step by Step campaign intends to achieve: to raise money to provide full medical care to disadvantaged rural women suffering from cervical cancer. We humbly appreciate the commitment that has been shown by our partners: Nation Media Group, Cancer Research Trust and Migori county, in making this day happen.
The logistical nightmare in getting the Step by Step fundraising walk to start has been daunting to say the least. The long days in the office with my partner Jonathan and collegue Dennis over countless cups of milo as we mould this baby has not been easy. The development of an online presence; hundreds of letters to potential sponsors, some of whom won't even be bothered to read the mail; drawing route maps and searching for overnight stops along the way; walking along government corridors seeking confirmation that you will be granted safe passage as the team walks across 13 counties, hours spent searching for an overland truck, who knew those things were so few and so expensive! I could never thank Mukhtar Sidi of Bunduz Ltd enough!
While we were buried in logistics in n Nairobi, Chacha literally gave up his life to the campaign. He has shuttled between Migori and Nairobi so much the last few months, it's amazing. He has knocked on doors in the county, setting ground for the first of its kind medical intervention in cancer care in this country. How he found time to rally his team for another far momentous walk is beyond me. But these heroes: Daniel Chogo, Nyangi Nyamohanga, Philip Rogoro and Peter Chacha have heeded their captain's call with such commitment and zeal, I am speechlesz. They have worked out every day to stay fit, amid handling their daily responsibilities, and not once have they even thought to pull out.
So yesterday, our efforts culminated in the flag-off of the long awaited walk. The First Lady of Migori almost brought tears to my eyes. In her speech, she said that she was honoured to flag off 'our' sons, carrying the mantle for women in Migori and Kenya and committed to walk with them in spirit throughout and even physically from Mariakani to Mombasa. She further went ahead to pledge her donation and proceeded to honor it within a few hours.
Amid pomp and flare, my heroes walked out of Migori town with such steadfast determination, a marathon runner would be proud. I was exhilarated! I walked 7km with them and when it started raining, I put on my borrowed sweatshirt and pulled the hood over my head and marched on. Daniel, the smallest in the team, sets the pace and I marched abreast. The rain beat us and we were soaked to the skin but we counted it as blessings and trudged on, the red cross ambulance and the Bunduz overland truck covering our rear, keeping us safe. The motorists slowed down to look at us in fascination and some even took photos and video clips, we kept moving. The matatu drivers from Kisii to Serare cheered us as they passed, amazed at how fast we had moved when they passed by before.
The pace is a killer. I was huffing and puffing within minutes but I learnt to breathe slower and maintain a steady pace and stop talking! And at 5.17pm, we marched into our first campsite, the Sony Sugar Company Stadium. I was shivering like a wet dog, my feet squelching with every step and my toes no longer bothered with sensation but I was in heaven. I had done it! I had walked with the mighty five. My heart is at peace!
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