Prisca Githuka, Cancer Advocate, Founder of Pink Hearts Cancer Support Foundation, shared a post by on LinkedIn:
“Prove it.
That’s what some cancer survivors are told when they seek recognition as persons with disabilities.
Sometimes, ‘proof’ means being asked to show their scars.
Let that sink in.
The Kenyan Persons with Disabilities Act (2003) defines disability as ‘a physical, sensory mental or other impairment that has a substantial and long term adverse effect on an individual’s ability to carry out ordinary day to day activities.’
Many cancer survivors live with exactly that, though their disabilities are often invisible.
Now, let’s be honest.
Yes, there are people who misuse the system.
Yes, fraud exists and must be addressed.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
In trying to catch the dishonest, are we violating the dignity of the honest?
Asking a survivor to expose their body to prove a mastectomy… is not due diligence, it’s not verification.
It is violation. As a mastectomy survivor, I live with permanent physical changes. I should not have to undress to be believed or to access my rights.
I should not have to trade my dignity for recognition.
This is not about sympathy. It is about justice. It’s about claiming rights.
The right to dignity.
The right to privacy.
The right to fair, respectful assessment.
We can do better.
- We can design verification systems that are thorough without being invasive.
- We can verify without violating.
- We can protect benefits without stripping people of their dignity, or punishing the very people they are meant for.
But only if we are willing to rethink how we define proof.
I urge stakeholders such as National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Health, healthcare providers and advocacy organizations to review and strengthen disability assessment processes, especially for cancer survivors and others with invisible disabilities.
Let’s build systems rooted in both integrity and humanity. Because dignity should never be the cost of proof.”
Other articles featuring Prisca Githuka on OncoDaily.