I will not let lupus rob me of desire to finish studies

“I took a leap of faith and went back to school at an advanced age since I was disadvantaged when growing up,” Purity Nkatha says of her life journey that has been littered with pain from an incurable Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and poverty.

Besides the pain she endured for close to 20 years, Nkatha has a strong will to positively battle the disease.

She is a Second Year nursing student at the Kenya Medical Training College, Nyeri campus.
“I am holding up strong. It does not get easier with SLE, but we choose to stay strong,” she told People Daily.

SLE, often called lupus, is an autoimmune disease. It typically affects women between the age of 15 and 45. Lupus causes immune cells in the body to become hyperactive and produce autoantibodies.

Patients with SLE can have their intelligence affected; academic achievement, arithmetic, reading comprehension, learning, visual memory and complex problem solving ability.

Because of the disease and other domestic challenges that Nkatha endured after their father abandoned them, she started schooling late, and her academic journey has been interrupted over and over.

When her father left, she was forced to care for her ailing mother and younger siblings.

“I started schooling at the age of seven in 1995,” she said. She sat for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2003.

After joining Form One in 2004, Nkatha was forced to repeat because of staying at home for two terms for lack of fees. She rejoined shortly after but still dropped out in 2007.

In 2018, she went back to school, and in September 2020 she was taken ill right before sitting for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations. She was diagnosed with SLE in January 2021.
“I have been battling this financial draining condition since then,” she said.

And despite the difficult circumstances she has had to persevere, Nkatha sat managed a mean grade B- in KCSE.

“I did my KCSE at the age of 32 years, while battling lupus; a disease with no cure,” she said.
The condition is managed with expensive immunosuppressive drugs, supplements and dieting, according to Nkatha.

“I am currently on Hydroxychloroquine, Vitamin D and K2; magnesium supplements zinc, Time released Vitamin C and cod liver sunscreen and emollients,” she narrates. She also uses herbal and green teas, each for a different purpose, for example to beat insomnia.

The herbal teas include; rosemary, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, hibiscus, and spearmint tea. Hydroxychloroquine, sometimes known as plaquenil, is an antimalarial drug taken by most people with lupus, while Emollients are moisturising treatments to soothe and hydrate the skin.

Nkatha is also advised to take chia seeds; almond milk or coconut milk and strictly on white meat. No wheat and sugar among other dietary restrictions.

Turbulent childhood

“It is getting really hard to acquire all this and cater for my studies,” she said, noting that she is even forced to skip clinic appointments due to lack of finances for transport and payment for the much needed treatment.

“Raising money for fees; hostel, special diet, supplements and regular check up appointments at Karen Hospital Nairobi where I am managed by my rheumatologist is becoming an uphill task,” said the 34-year old.

Nkatha, the first born in a family of eight, was born and raised in Kaaga location in Meru. She is married with one child. Nkatha experienced a violent turbulent childhood in an impoverished family.

“At one time lived on the streets, and had to start working as a little girl to take care of her then sickly mother and siblings after their stepfather violently threw them brandishing a machete,” Meru FM news announcer, Irene Karamuta who’s related to the nursing student wrote on her Facebook account while seeking financial support for her.

Karamuta continues; “later the stepfather sold the land, chased away her mum and siblings. Nkatha was determined to pursue education but the baggage of responsibilities couldn’t let her.”

However, a Good Samaritan, Irene Kendi, with whom they met on Facebook. Kendi offered to pay for her fees, which enabled her to complete secondary education. For now, she urgently needs help to manoeuvre her academic, treatment and domestic costs.

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