Viola Kiondo Breast Cancer Warrior Bieng Crowned as the Winner of the Scars to Stars Second Edition./ PHOTO; Courtesy
For many cancer patients, the journey from diagnosis to recovery is marked by pain, fear, and uncertainty.
The emotional toll, physical changes, and overwhelming cost of care often leave them feeling isolated and hopeless.
Yet amid these struggles, organizations like the Kenya Network of Cancer Organizations (KENCO) are stepping in to restore dignity, confidence, and hope.
Through initiatives such as the Scars to Stars pageant, KENCO is helping survivors embrace life beyond their scars, reminding them that beauty, courage, and strength can rise even from the hardest battles.
A Story of Strength and Faith
“My name is Viola Kiondo, a breast cancer warrior, mother of three, two boys and a girl, and the Assistant Director of Hansard Services in Makueni County.”
In late December 2023, one morning as she stretched after getting out of bed, Viola felt a lump on the right side of her breast.
Instinctively, she checked the other side for comparison but realized it wasn’t the same.
The lump was hard but painless, so she didn’t think much of it.
Later, she mentioned it in her family WhatsApp group and promised to have it checked the next time she was in Nairobi.
But she didn’t follow through until June 2024.
That month, while commuting daily to Machakos for work, she began experiencing sharp pain on the upper right side of her breast and back.
Her daughter massaged her, and she took painkillers, but the pain persisted.
After a week, it subsided, and she pushed the thought aside once more.
“I finally kept my promise in August 2024 when I traveled to Nairobi,” she recalls.
“At Nairobi Hospital, a mammogram revealed a suspicious growth. A follow-up MRI confirmed the same, and later that month, a biopsy confirmed my worst fear: I had stage III breast cancer.”
“When my oncologist broke the news, I felt numb,” she says quietly.
“I was with my sister, Triza, and I remember asking the doctor, ‘So what next?’ I didn’t want to dwell on the diagnosis; I wanted to know the way forward.”
Although her family urged her to rest in Nairobi, she insisted on driving back to Makueni that evening.
“During the drive, I thought I might break down, but I didn’t. When I got home around 9 p.m., my children were still awake. When I told them the diagnosis, they broke down crying. As I comforted them, I made a silent prayer: ‘God, this will be the last time I cry over this disease.’ I resolved that cancer would not have power over me.”
From that moment, Viola found immense strength drawn from faith, love, and her desire to live for her children.
“I decided to fight for my children, my family, and my friends,” she says.
“People often associate cancer with death, but that’s not always true. Many of us fight and win.”
Her treatment began with six cycles of chemotherapy to shrink three tumors located in different areas of her breast.
This was followed by a mastectomy on her right side, during which nine lymph nodes were removed.
She later underwent radiotherapy and began targeted hormonal therapy because her cancer was triple positive.
“I have now on long-term medication for seven years to suppress the hormones that could trigger cancer growth,” she explains.
“I also receive two sets of injections, one for two years and another for about one and a half years.”
The treatment journey, she says, was a true test of faith.
“Before chemotherapy, I didn’t look or feel sick, but the side effects hit hard: nausea, fatigue, hair loss, and darkened nails. Each round was unpredictable. Some days, I couldn’t even get out of bed. But every morning, I reminded myself, ‘I’m still alive, and that means I’m still winning.”
The mastectomy was particularly difficult.
“Losing a part of my body was traumatic. For a long time, I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror,” she recalls.
“I had to learn how to tend to my wound and later how to wear prosthetics, new bras, and different clothes. Even simple things like swimming with my kids became emotionally challenging. But with time, I learned to accept myself again, scars and all.”
One of the hardest realities of cancer is the financial burden.
“Treatment costs are overwhelming. One injection can cost up to KSh 100,000, and patients often need 18 of them, excluding chemotherapy, surgery, or radiotherapy. Many people give up before starting because the costs drain not only finances but also hope.”
Despite the challenges, Viola says she has witnessed God’s grace and the unwavering support of her family and friends.
“Their acts of kindness, driving me to chemo, bringing medication from Nairobi to Makueni in cool packs, or simply visiting with fruit and laughter, gave me strength. Support, no matter how small, makes a huge difference.”
Through her experience, Viola realized the importance of awareness and early detection.
“I can’t explain why I delayed seeking medical attention, even though I was educated and informed. Cancer doesn’t discriminate; it can happen to anyone. That’s why I want people to go for screening early.”
This realization inspired her to start the Tarajio Foundation, with the help of her family and friends.
“Tarajio means hope,” she explains. “That’s what I want every patient to hold on to.”
She is also deeply grateful to KENCO for allowing survivors to celebrate life through the Scars to Stars beauty pageant.
“It was refreshing to travel to Nairobi for something other than treatment to get glammed up, walk the runway, and feel beautiful again,” she says with a smile.
The training, she adds, was life-changing.
“We trained for three weekends, shared our stories, and bonded deeply. For once, I wasn’t a patient; I was a woman, a mother, and a survivor. Walking the runway beside other warriors was powerful. When they announced me as the winner of Scars to Stars Season 2, I was overwhelmed. It was a reminder that even after cancer, beauty and purpose remain.”
“Cancer has changed me, but it has not defeated me,” Viola says.
“If anything, it has made me more compassionate, more grateful, and more determined to help others. I want people to know that cancer is not a death sentence. With faith, early detection, and support, we can fight and win.”
KENCO: Turning Pain into Purpose
On October 31st, the Kenya Network of Cancer Organizations (KENCO) hosted the Scars to Stars Season 2 event in Nairobi, bringing together survivors, caregivers, health professionals, and advocates.
“This is a special day for us,” said Phoebe Ongadi, Executive Director of KENCO.
“KENCO is a survivor-led organization 95% of our board members are cancer survivors. They sit at policy tables and speak from lived experience. That makes us unique.”
Even as KENCO celebrates survivorship, Phoebe noted, the organization remains deeply concerned about the widening treatment gap in Kenya’s cancer care system.
“When we held Scars to Stars Season 1, we engaged the government, and as a result, they revised the oncology package,” she said.
“However, we are currently witnessing a lot of treatment abandonment.”
The main reasons, she explained, are the high cost of treatment and late diagnosis.
“About 70% of cancer cases are diagnosed when already advanced. The more advanced the case, the more expensive it is to treat. The KSh 400,000 to 550,000 that the government currently provides, plus KSh 150,000 from ECCIF, is not enough.”
KENCO has since presented feedback to the Social Health Authority (SHA), highlighting the urgent need for reform.
“One year later, patients are dying, communities are suffering, and many are abandoning treatment because the funding is too little,” Phoebe said.
“We were fortunate to have our petition tabled in Parliament, and the Health Committee has taken it up. We ask that SHA provide a minimum of KSh 1.2 million, which is what NHIF provided before.”
Beyond financing, KENCO continues to push for stronger diagnostic and treatment infrastructure.
“We are told that 70% of diagnoses happen when it is already too late for curative care,” Phoebe added.
“We must close this gap by bringing diagnostic services closer to communities, ensuring that facilities are staffed, equipped, and ready to serve.”
She also highlighted the shortage of pathologists, fewer than 100 for a population of over 55 million.
“These are the gaps that must be addressed if we are to reduce cancer deaths,” she said. “We must also ensure that essential medicines are in stock and that cancer care is accessible, affordable, and continuous.”
The Government’s Perspective: Strengthening Cancer Prevention and Care
According to Dr. Elias Melly, CEO of the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCIK), cancer remains a major public health challenge that requires collective action and strong partnerships.
“The Institute was established to coordinate cancer efforts from prevention and early diagnosis to treatment, palliative care, and survivorship,” he said.
“We collaborate across sectors, education, environment, and agriculture because cancer risk factors touch every part of life.”
Dr. Melly noted that Kenya’s cancer burden continues to rise due to increasing exposure to risk factors such as tobacco use, poor diets, and environmental pollution.
“Our goal is to strengthen systems for early detection, improve access to treatment, and enhance community education,” he said.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating cancer care into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which aims to ensure that no Kenyan is left behind.
“As an oncologist, I understand the tears, pain, and emotional struggles our patients endure,” he said.
“Today, we celebrate those who have fought cancer and emerged strong. Through partnerships with organizations like KENCO, we are working to ensure equitable and quality cancer care for all.”
Partners in Hope: Private Sector and Advocacy Allies
Edward Hommeson, General Manager for L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty and La Roche-Posay in East Africa, expressed strong support for KENCO’s initiatives, especially those aimed at improving the quality of life for cancer patients.
“Our mission aligns deeply with KENCO’s,” he said.
“We’re committed to providing dermatological solutions that help cancer survivors, patients, caregivers, and doctors manage the side effects of treatment and feel beautiful again.”
La Roche-Posay dedicates 1% of its global earnings to cancer research and patient support initiatives.
“We are here today as part of that commitment to ensure survivors and patients experience the benefits of La Roche-Posay care,” he added.
“We look forward to more collaboration with KENCO.”
Also in attendance was Avonde Ann, Programs Manager at the National Taxpayers Association (NTA), who highlighted the link between taxation and cancer prevention.
“We are advocating for higher taxes on harmful tobacco products at least 70% of the retail price to reduce consumption and fund cancer treatment,” she said.
“We also call for transparency and public involvement in how these funds are used.”
Beyond Awareness: A Call for Action
As the music faded and the runway lights dimmed, one message resonated across the hall: cancer is not a death sentence.
Survivorship is real, but it requires collective effort from government, civil society, private partners, and families.
The Scars to Stars event was not just a celebration of beauty but of resilience, a powerful statement that cancer may leave scars, but those scars can indeed become stars.
“We may have lost parts of ourselves,” said one survivor, “but we have found strength we never knew existed.”
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