Wambua fight with Brain Tumor, blurry vision and Sh2.5M bill

In March 2024, Paul Wambua's life took a tragic turn. His normal routine, which involved manning his Jua Kali stall, was quickly swept away by a severe headache.

He remembers that at first, he started losing his vision, and assumed it was normal. However, the blurry visions accompanied by severe headaches persisted.

Wambua, 61, went to hospital for the first time in weeks, since he first felt a blurry vision.

This visit would however become just one of many to come. “I went to hospital to be treated, after a week I had to go back to hospital. I feared my eyes would be damaged".

At this point, Wambua had made more than six hospital visits, “I was in a lot of pain, I couldn't even sleep".

He says, “I stayed on the couch throughout the night, my head was in a lot of pain, I couldn't see anything".

The pain forced Wambua to stay at home. This predicament would mean Wambua cannot continue with his daily Jua Kali hustle to support his family.

The father on four had been to four hospitals, by the time it was discovered and he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. A month later, he would seek a second opinion, which showed the tumor as was.

“They told me that I was going to get surgery," Wambua remembers.

He also recalls suffering excruciating pain in his joints, affecting his ability to walk on steep slopes. He says mentally he was not affected; however, he admits that before the diagnosis, he had no knowledge of what tumor was.

“I had not heard of a brain tumor before," Wambua.

He was referred to Aga Khan University hospital to get specialized treatment. While this was a relief, it presented an even bigger burden for the father of four because his treatment needed atleast Ksh2.5 million or travel to India both of which were a painfully distant dream for him.

“I was really worried when I heard that such conditions are treated in India," Wambua reckoned, noting that he couldn't bring up the conversation to his family, “I saw my end".

“I was shocked. I did a rough calculation of what would cost to go to India for treatment, and I could not afford it," Wambua recalls.

At the hospital, he was relieved it was not an open surgery, the doctor assured him he would remove the tumor through the nose, Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery (EES).

Health economic burden

After all the hustle, Wambua would find relief, as his hospital bill was catered for by the Hospital Patient Welfare Programme and SHA.

“The hospital was kind enough to settle the Sh2 million to cover my surgery, while SHA covered the remaining Sh500,000," Wambua.

Now in his recovery journey, Wambua says his eyes haven't fully recovered yet, but a lot has improved since the surgery on 25 December 2025.

Dr. Beverly Cheserem, an Assistant Professor and Consultant Neurosurgeon based at Aga Khan University Hospital, is one of the two doctors who undertook the surgery on Mr. Wambua.

According to Dr. Cheserem, Wambua's tumor was in the pituitary area, between the eyes and behind the nose.

For individuals who present with Brain tumor, in some instances For both men and women, their libido can become particularly low. For women, their periods can disappear, due to the excess production of a hormone called prolactin.

“Another hormone that can be produced in excess is cortisol. In this situation, people gain a lot of weight, develop skin stretch marks, and may experience high blood pressure, diabetes, cataract formation, weakness of the bones," Dr. Cheserem said.

She adds, growth hormones may also be produced in excess, making children grow rapidly and unusually tall. “If it happens after puberty, people can develop coarse facial features, a large tongue, spacing of the teeth, high blood pressure, diabetes, and rapidly changing shoe and clothing sizes. They also tend to be very sweaty".

“By the same token, as the tumor grows, it can shut down these hormones and create the opposite effect," she posed.

Brain tumors also lead to visual failure. Typically, it starts with a gradual narrowing of the visual field. Over time, the edges slowly disappear and people begin missing things to the side.

“As it becomes more advanced, patients may start bumping into doors," She said.

And while pituitary adenomas are overwhelmingly benign, they are highly treatable, and its main effects relate to hormones, fertility, and vision.

“All of us should have our eyes tested periodically. People should specifically ask for a visual field test," she recommended.

According to Cheserem, lack of exact brain tumor incidence in the country is a major challenge when it comes to addressing barriers to awareness.