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Janet Mbugua and other celebrities who have battled endometriosis


The death of popular reggae MC Jahmby Koikai has left Kenyans in mourning.

She died at Nairobi Hospital at around 9 pm on Monday, June 3, after a long battle with endometriosis, a condition she had been battling for many years.

Jahmby, a former radio presenter, was outspoken about her struggles with endometriosis, detailing how the condition had affected her vital organs such as her lungs, heart, spine and appendix due to delayed diagnosis.

Koikai revealed that it took her 17 years to get a diagnosis for the life-threatening condition.

“We shed the lining of the uterus during our monthly periods. Unfortunately, with endometriosis, this lining grows on other parts of the body. In my case, the lining grew in my lungs, causing them to collapse every month, which led to countless operations,” she said.

Endometriosis causes pelvic pain, and it also makes conception difficult.

The condition can start with the first menstrual period and last until the menopause.

The exact cause of endometriosis is not known.

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that raising awareness can help with early diagnosis and treatment, potentially slowing the progression of the disease and alleviating long-term symptoms.

Here is a list of celebrities who have battled endometriosis:

Natalie Githinji
Natalie Githinji

Natalie Githinji

In 2023, radio presenter and actress Natalie Githinji spoke about her menstrual flow woes that were accompanied by excruciating cramps.

She said the condition not only caused her physical pain but also heartbreak in her relationships, adding that she could barely walk during her monthly period.

Natalie explained in an interview that she only found out about her condition – endometriosis – seven years later.

“I found out seven years later. I wish I had known sooner; I would have caught it sooner,” she said.

Janet Mbugua. PHOTO | COURTESY

Janet Mbugua

Janet opened up about her struggles with endometriosis when she shared her experience with her followers.

She talked about undergoing a laparoscopy in 2005 for deep ovarian endometriosis, also known as endometriomas or ovarian cysts.

This condition causes cavities to form in the ovaries that fill with blood.

Janet said that experienced painful and prolonged periods since the time she was in high school. Sometimes she was unable to attend class, and later on, work, especially during the first few days of her cycle.

“It had been years, literally, since high school, of painful, prolonged periods that sometimes left me unable to go to class or to the office, especially during the first few days of my cycle,” she said.

“Finally, getting a diagnosis was such a breakthrough. I was put on oral contraceptives, which I have had to continue using except during when trying to have a baby.

“To this day, if I don’t take my medication, I struggle during my period.”

Ciru Muriuki

BBC reporter Ciru Muriuki has also spoke about her battle with endometriosis.

Sharing a photo from the past, Ciru said she did her first laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis cysts two days before Christmas in 2017.

She explains that every time she had her period, it would bleed into her ovaries, causing excruciating pain.

It can sometimes take years for endometriosis to be definitively diagnosed, as women are often told that the pain is a normal part of being a woman.

“Words cannot describe the pain. It sometimes takes years for endometriosis to be definitively diagnosed because women are told that pain is part of being a woman,” Ciru said.

Corazon Kwamboka
Corazon Kwamboka

Corazon Kwamboka

Social media influencer and lawyer Corazon Kwamboka has urged women battling endometriosis not to give up on motherhood as the condition is associated with infertility.

In an interview with Daily Nation, the mother of two said that she was terrified after being diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis in both her ovaries.

“I had to go to hospital all the time because I could not walk. I was always on painkillers. It was a horrible experience. I remember my mother telling me to see a doctor for medical intervention, adding that people who had such period pains were at risk of infertility, but I thought she was just feeling sorry for me,” she said.

Kwamboka said she was afraid she would never get pregnant.

Online comedian Sylvia Savai aka Senje. PHOTO: COURTESY

Senjee Comedy

Digital content creator and comedian Sylvia Savai, also known as Senjee Comedy, recently shared about her experience with endometriosis.

Speaking on April 25, 2024, she stated that every month during her menstrual cycle, her body gets paralysed on the right side, causing some of her organs to fail.

She also revealed that she will be undergoing two operations in Atlanta, Georgia in June 2024.

“I’m a little scared, but mostly the anxiety is getting to me,” she said.

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