Mary Kamanthe Mutua emerged among the strongest performers in public schools after posting 415 marks out of 500 in the 2018 KCPE, even as she battled bone cancer.
The 15-year-old from Mombasa sat the exam while dealing with swelling and persistent pain in her left leg. Her parents say they kept the diagnosis from her until she finished her last paper so she could remain focused on the test.
According to her father, Josephat Mwangani Mutua, the family first took her to Pandya Hospital after the pain became unbearable. He said doctors confirmed bone cancer and told them treatment could either be done locally through amputation of the leg or in India through specialised care.
Mutua said he chose not to tell his daughter immediately because he feared the news would affect her performance. He also said he had to carry her on his back for three days because it was too painful to watch her limp to and from the examination centre at Amani Primary School in Mikindani, Changamwe Constituency.
The family says specialised treatment in India will cost Sh3 million, a sum Mutua says he cannot raise from his business income alone. Kamanthe has said she wants to travel for treatment and return in time to join Form One with her classmates.
She hopes to attend Kenya Hill and later study law. Her class teacher, Richard Nduva, described her as one of the school’s consistent top pupils and appealed for support from well-wishers.
The story drew attention because Kamanthe’s academic result came at a time when she was facing a serious medical crisis, turning her KCPE performance into a symbol of resilience for her family and teachers.
