First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has encouraged Kenyans to go for early screening and treatment as a step towards winning the war against cancer.

The First Lady reaffirmed her support for ongoing efforts to scale up breast cancer awareness to save women’s lives through her Beyond Zero initiative.

“We know the importance of early screening, the benefit of early detection and treatment and how these improve the survival rate and advance our collective efforts of reversing the trend of rising breast cancer incidences among our communities,” the First Lady said.

In her message to commemorate the breast cancer awareness month of October, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta recognised breast cancer survivors and encouraged those battling the disease as she appreciated their families for standing with them.

“It is also the month when we reaffirm our support and stand in solidarity with women, courageous women, who have spoken up and shared stories of their unique journeys.  We thank you because through your voice, we have heard your stories of survival,” she said.

The First Lady stressed that information and advocacy as well as timely health choices help to ease the toll and burden of cancer and ill health in general.

Meanwhile, the breast cancer awareness month was today marked in Makueni County by the launch of a cancer clinic constructed at the Makueni County Referral Hospital through the Empower project of the County First Ladies Association.

The cancer clinic dubbed “Purple Room” takes cancer screening, detection and treatment closer to the people of Makueni.

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta was represented at event by Beyond Zero’s Coordinator Angella Langat who underlined the First Lady’s commitment to promote advocacy on breast and cervical cancer for women as well as prostate cancer for men through free cancer screening at the Beyond Zero Medical Safaris.

Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, his deputy Adelina Mwau and the County’s Executive Committee Member for Health Dr Andrew Mulwa commended First Lady Margaret Kenyatta for donating a Beyond Zero mobile clinic that has boosted the county’s efforts to fight cancer.

The event was attended by 14 County First Ladies led by host Mrs Nazi Kivutha who is also the outgoing Chairperson of the County First Ladies Association and incoming Chairperson Mrs Maria Mbeneka of Laikipia County.