My story
My story
My paternal grandmother, Hannah Wambui, Cucu, lived in Eldoret, a rural town in Kenya. She birthed ten children and she received maternal/obstetric care during her pregnancies and postpartum. However, it was not until she was in her sixties, that she had her first gynecology visit. For this and other specialized healthcare, she would travel approximately four hours to the capital, Nairobi. I had the chance to accompany her to one of her doctor visits - on this occasion it was to see a doctor for treatment of arthritis, most likely osteoarthritis.At the time it didn`t strike me as odd, that a woman who had birthed ten children, had not seen a gynecologist until she was well into her sixties. Cucu's story was not unique to her; you see, it was not uncommon (then or now) for women's health to be closely related to pregnancy or the postpartum period. This was because it was taboo in our culture that a man other than one's husband to see her genitalia. This situation was further complicated by the fact that there were no female gynecologists in Eldoret or in any of the surrounding towns.
My passion for women`s health was inspired from Cucu's experience. She inspired me to become an obstetrician gynecologist with a focus on gynecological care in the peri- and post-menopausal age group, in rural and underserved areas. Understanding the changing female body, the challenges my Cucu and women in this stage of life encounter, and how these combined with culture impact a woman`s quality of life, both at the individual and community level, has been and continues to be the space that I find most fulfilling and is my daily tribute to Cucu.
My core values
Giving back and
adding value
Family and
community
Empowering women
