A Kenyan man will be taking a bold step to walk from Nairobi to Mombasa.
The man identified as Frederick Beuchi commenced the 12-day walk to Mombasa which is a distance of 482 kilometres.
Beuchi's journey was inspired by his sister who suffers from epilepsy.
It's this disease that over a million Kenyans suffer from that made him embark on the unusual journey to fight for others suffering from epilepsy.
[caption caption="A wrist ribbon supposed to be worn by epileptic patients"]
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Beuchi revealed that his sister was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of two, and it had been strenuous trying to find help.
He planned to cover 45 kilometres over nine hours each day to raise awareness about the disease and to help drum up support for a roadshow caravan by the National Epilepsy Coordination Committee to be held in Mombasa on August 15 and 16.
Speaking in Kwale, Beuchi also revealed that where he comes from, the disease was misunderstood and steeped in stigma, with witchcraft connotations.
His 11-year-old sister got the medical attention that changed her life which also prompted him to try to spread the message of hope and raise awareness.
Kenyans.co.ke spoke to Emma Wangui from the National Epilepsy Coordination Committee (NECC) who revealed that Kenyans are often afraid to seek treatment for the disease.
"A lot of people are leaving with epilepsy but parents are afraid of seeking medical help for fear of stigmatization. From the awareness campaigns we have done, most people have associated the disease with witchcraft and you will find people whose culture has played a big role in hindering treatment," Wangui remarked.
[caption caption="A caravan raising awareness on epilepsy"]
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Statistics from the NECC indicate that the disease has affected more than 1 million Kenyans and although the disease is curable, patients are stigmatized.
Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disorder in Kenya and the 4th in the World with an estimated 65 million people faced with this condition.
80 percent of the patients are from developing countries because the capability to identify people with epilepsy and provide cost-effective care is compromised by the widespread poverty, illiteracy, inefficient and unevenly distributed health systems, social stigma and misconception surrounding the disease.
