There are different types of breast cancer including invasive and non invasive forms. Invasive breast cancer means the cancer cells have spread beyond the breast ducts or lobules into nearby tissues while non invasive breast cancer remains contained within its place of origin. Some cancer types grow slowly while others spread quickly and are more aggressive. This is why early detection and treatment are so important. 

Any woman can develop breast cancer but some are at a higher risk. Factors like age, family history of breast cancer and those who smoke or drink excessively are more likely to develop the disease. Obesity especially after menopause is another major risk factor because fat tissue produces oestrogen which can promote the growth of certain types of breast cancer.

Hormonal influences also contribute to breast cancer risk. Women who started menstruating earlier before the age of 12 or reached menopause later after 55 years have prolonged exposure to oestrogen increasing their risk.

Those who have never given birth and had their first child after 30 years or have used Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)for an extended period may also have a slightly higher risk. 

Breast Cancer usually begins in the milk ducts or lobules which are the glands that produce milk. It can spread to surrounding tissues and in advanced cases to other organs such as the lungs, liver, or bones. If breast cancer spreads, it often affects the lymph nodes under the arm first before moving to other parts of the body like liver and lungs. This process is called Metastasis and makes treatment more challenging. 

Detecting cancer before it spreads gives a much better chance of successful treatment and survival. 

Early detection is crucial. Women should be aware of the symptoms such as lumps in the breast, changes in the breast size or shape, nipple discharge and pain that does not go away. Doctors recommend that women aged 40 years and older should undergo regular mamograms which are X-rays screening that can detect cancerous growths even before symptoms appear. 

If a woman has a family history of breast cancer and other risks factors, she may need to start screening earlier. 

Breast Cancer can be life threatening but early detection and treatment improve survival rates. Many women do not seek medical help because they lack awareness or fear the diagnosis. Spreading knowledge about symptoms, risk factors and screening methods can save lives.

Educational campaigns encourage women to get regular check ups, recognize warning signs and adopt healthier lifestyles. Government and organisation worldwide promote Breast Cancer Awareness in the month of October spreading information and offering free or low cost screening services. The pink ribbon has become a global symbol of solidarity and support for those affected by the disease. Breaking the stigma around breast cancer and discussing it openly can also encourage women to seek medical attention. 

While breast cancer cannot always be prevented, women can reduce their risk by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding smoking.

Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy. Doctors chose the best treatment based on stage of cancer and patient's health. If breast cancer is diagonised, treatment options depend on the stage and type of cancer. Common treatments include:

-Chemotherapy: using high drugs that kill cancer cells throughout the body 

-Radiation: using high energy rays to destroy cancer cells.

-Hormone Therapy:used for hormone -sensitive breast cancers to block oestrogen and slow cancer growth 

-Surgery: removing the tumor or the entire breast. 

The treatment plan varies for each patient and doctors decide based on factors like the stage of cancer, the patients overall health and their personal preferences. 

Breast cancer is a serious health issue but with the awareness, regular check ups and healthy lifestyle, women can reduce their risk and detect the disease early.

If you notice unusual changes in your breast, consult a doctor immediately. Early actions can save lives. With continued awareness, research and medical advancements, the fight against breast cancer is stronger than ever. Encourage the women in your life to get screened and spread awareness -It could make all the difference.

Beyond the joyful lecture hall, a silent and unseen burden is unfolding leaving behind invisible scars. A spectral metal health crisis with a chilling intensity looms over Kenyan University casting a suffocating shadow. 

We as students are shouldering heavy burdens of academic failure, financial anxiety and the urge to meet societal expectations. The intense academic atmosphere creates a breeding ground of anxiety and depression that constantly reminds us of the need to excel without failing.

It's not just the academic pressure though that's the driving factor. The unceasing pursuit of good grades and looming threat of unemployment after graduation weighs heavily on our minds. But it's more than that.  It's the financial hardship caused by the rising cost of living, forcing students to juggle between dreams and bills through side hustle. The part time jobs leaves a little time for rest, a basic self-care need. 

Then there is the societal expectation to reach the idealized standards of success, the perfection portrayed on social media fuels feelings of inadequacy.

Take for instance the story of Esther a second year student taking Communication Studies as a course in Chuka University, "My day starts at 5:00 a.m. I manage an online clothing store where I have to handle orders and delivery before classes. During breaks, I respond to customers and proceed to create content to market my business. I schedule my study hours to late evening but sometimes this proves difficult as I pack orders till late-night.

Esther's story is echoed by countless other students. We are a generation that has to be self-reliant due to lack of financial support by our families.

Thestigma surrounding mental health in Kenya further intensifies the problem as many students fear to seek help as they fear judgment. They suffer in silence. The consequence of this silence in the alarming rise of student suicide, anxiety and depression.

University is still struggling with how to address the pandemic. Though counselling services are offered, they are unable to meet the growing demand. Mental health campaigns are often insufficient. We need more than just awareness. We need action. We need support where students feel safe to seek help with without fear of stigmatization.

We as students have an important role to play. We need to break the silence by having honest conversations and supporting each other to create a community where no one feels left out. We need to prioritize self-care and recognize signs of distress.

 While individual responsibility is important "kidole kimoja hakivunji chawa". This Swahili expression highlights the effectiveness of collective responsibility. Universities and government must step up in providing more trained counselors and integrating mental health education in the curriculum.

The mental issue is a ticking time bomb that threatens to wipe an entire generation. We cannot ignore it anymore. We need to create an environment that natures student well-being both academically and emotionally.

 We are more than students. We are human beings and our mental health matters. We are the future of Kenya. We deserve a nation that sees mental well-being as a right and not a privilege.

From collapsing hospitals to striking doctors, lack of essential medicines, and rampant corruption, the healthcare system in most counties has become a shadow of its intended purpose. While governors boast of new hospitals and ambulances, the people at the grassroots—expectant mothers, the elderly, and accident victims—are left to suffer in silence.

At the heart of the crisis is the continuous standoff between county governments and healthcare workers. Doctors and nurses go months without pay, pushing them to strike repeatedly. In places like Embu, Kisumu, and Vihiga, hospitals have been shut down due to unresolved salary arrears.

“I have not been paid for four months, yet I am expected to show up and treat patients,” says one Dr. Wanjiku, a medical officer in a county referral hospital. “We work under extreme conditions, and when we complain, we are threatened with dismissal.”

The irony? Governors and health executives continue to draw fat salaries while hospitals struggle with basic operations. Patients are often turned away or forced to buy medicine from private pharmacies because county hospitals lack stock.

A closer look at most county budgets reveals a worrying trend: billions allocated for health services often disappear without a trace. Auditor General reports have repeatedly flagged misappropriation of health funds, yet little action is taken.

Take, for example, a county that allocated KSh. 500 million for the construction of a modern ICU facility. Five years later, the project remains a ghost structure, while critically ill patients are referred to Nairobi or Eldoret for treatment.

“The corruption in county health departments is shocking,” says a whistleblower from one of the procurement offices. “Tender cartels inflate costs, purchase expired drugs, or divert funds meant for essential services.”

For patients, the nightmare is real. Public hospitals in most counties are stretched beyond their limits. With doctors on strike or resigning in frustration, clinical officers and nurses are left to handle overwhelming cases.

In some level four hospitals, a single doctor attends to over 50 patients in a day. Maternity wards are overcrowded, forcing women to give birth on benches. Oxygen cylinders run out, dialysis machines are broken, and ambulances are used more for political campaigns than emergencies.

Despite the crisis, some counties have shown that a functioning health system is possible. Makueni and Kisii counties have been praised for implementing universal healthcare programs, where residents can access treatment affordably. The question is, why can’t all counties replicate this?

The solution lies in accountability. Health CSs, governors, and county health executives must be held responsible for every shilling allocated to health services. Medical staff need better pay and working conditions to prevent brain drain. More importantly, the people must demand better.

As Kenya moves towards the 2027 elections, voters must scrutinize leaders who promise improved healthcare. Because, at the end of the day, a failed health system means lives are lost—deaths that could have been prevented.

Devolution was meant to be a blessing, not a curse. But unless county governments fix the mess in healthcare, the suffering of ordinary Kenyans will only deepen. And while governors give speeches about "milestones," the sick continue to queue in long, hopeless lines, waiting for a healthcare system that works.

"Morning rains as well as afternoon and night showers and thunderstorms are expected over several places during the first and the final day of the forecast period", he adds  in a weekly weather forecast seen by MWINGI TIMES. The weather forecast period ranged from 18 to 24 March, 2025.

The weatherman has once again reiterated that adverse effects of climate change reduce agricultural output in their region. Mbithi said that farmers should consult their ward agricultural extension officers for advice on the best farm practices.

Climate change is the long-term shift in temperatures and weather patterns. The effects of climate change include hotter temperatures, more severe storms, increased drought, loss of species, among others.

A boy child is happy especially while in young age. He gets to explore the great potential and world opportunity. The length of the smile is always to a maximum after the vast interaction with his peers.

A boy child needs care and opportunity to thrive in his life. This will be determined by the kind of background a boy child has. Kind of parents, friends and even the society itself, these factors determine the kind of an adult a boy child will grow.

In a boy child’s mind, there is always an ambition, a picture that illuminates his daily up and down movement. He traces the footsteps of his role model in order to achieve lights at the end of the tunnel.

Normally, you would see a boy child dressed decently to much the days event, he also tries to give a good impression by the level of gentleness, or else some might bring up a different meaning because dressing is a choice. “I had the opportunity to bring light upon my family”, says Jacob a former student in Karatina University. “Now I am PR officer at Bidii Traders company, and I really appreciate all my well-wishers together with the government of Kenya for the scholarships that enable me complete my universities studies with Masters in communication studies”, he said.

Well not to be biased, many societies in a family may place all the burden on a boy child's shoulder. Mostly if he is a first-born child, he is expected to meet all his family's expectations. 

Good examples of are students especially who are colleges and universities. This is where a boy child undergoes different experiences which contribute his character development. You can imagine the different backgrounds, different personalities. Everything become new to a boy child. This is also one of a crucial stage of a boy child where he gets to learn and experience a lot of peer influence.

Such situations are determined by how the parents brought up the child, “I was innocent till I got myself into a group of friends who always kept the public speaking,” says Mwala a forth year student Kenyatta University, “From the late night parties, abuse of drugs and drinking of alcohol.  Sometimes going to class felt like waste of time. My life changed later after a mass killing at Juja town after they were caught looting a phone shop.

Sometime sparing the rod really spoils the child. I urge our parents to monitor their children’s behavior from young age because they will need their teachings when they grow up. 

Its clear that most spoilt future of the boy child really depends on the level of care and responsibility that a parent takes. You will also get to understand this with the kind of friends he makes.

I can’t really wait for the 16th of May 2025. We will get to celebrate International Day for the Boy Child, a day dedicated to raise awareness about unique needs, experiences, andchallenges boys face, while celebrating their positive contributions to the day to day life.

Let’s support our boy child and the future will be bright for him.Let’s keep this movement which supports the boy child, because his failure depends also on his level of discipline and humility and his future will be enlightened.