Carmen Monge-Montero: A summary of my last week in Nairobi

Carmen Monge-Montero shared on LinkedIn:

“Hi Network!

Now that I’m back home, I want to share a summary of my last week in Nairobi.

First, I already miss the wonderful people I met there. Kenyans are warm, friendly, and have a lot in common with Latin Americans. We danced every day, the food was amazing, and their strong sense of community inspired me. They are passionate about their causes, and they even taught me some Swahili, which I’m excited to learn more about! I miss as well my North American fellows, they made this experience even richer with their knowledge and were always ready to have fun!

One of the most important experiences was the Mizizi workshops. We visited Kimera, one of the largest slums in Africa, where A Fresh Chapter runs workshops for increasing emotional awareness and building resilience while having the opportunity to connect with others in their community affected by cancer (patients and caregivers). I love that the program is free, inclusive and provides materials and meals. I was lucky to attend the 40th workshop, until now this program has helped over 2,000 people in all of Kenya. I learned so much that I can use in my work as an EDI professional and cancer advocate. Maybe a program like this could be applied in Latin America.

Lastly, I was excited to be part of the AFC Africa Summit. My cross-cultural team (3 Kenyans, 2 Americans, and myself ) gave a presentation about Advocacy for Policy Change. It was a great experience, showing how people from different backgrounds can work together. I also loved seeing the other presentations and meeting cancer advocates from around the world.

This trip wasn’t just professional—it provided me with emotional healing too. I even felt grateful for my cancer journey because it led me to Kenya, to these amazing people, and a new purpose in life. I am incredibly thankful to the entire AFC team for making this possible; it has been a blessing to be connected with them for more than four years. A Fresh Chapter has taught me so much, and all I can say is thank you! I hope they continue to impact lives.

Thank you Terri Wingham, Philip Odiyo, Tony, Hope, Ivasha Cyrilla and the rest of the team. To my amazing team Eva Odongo, Florence, Mary Nafula, Lillian Walker Shelton, and Lauren Cohen. Special thanks to Eli Lilly and Company for making this happen.

Source: Carmen Monge-Montero/LinkedIn

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Carmen Monge-Montero is a researcher and patient advocate with Youth Cancer Europe. She is the founder and content creator at Mon”ge Consultancy and is also an advocate with MANO. In addition to her advocacy work, she is a global cancer advocate and a children’s book author.