This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
On October 6, 2019, Ciku Waichigo will hold her first free awareness session at the Memorial Park in Nairobi, aiming to reach a wider audience and provide support to women suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Waichigo's journey with PCOS began in 2009, when she was diagnosed with the hormonal condition at the age of 25. 'I missed my periods so I went to the hospital, they did a few tests and the doctor found out I had PCOS,' she recalls.
Despite her husband's support, Waichigo struggled to cope with the condition, which led to severe headaches, mood swings, and high blood pressure. After two and a half years of trying, the doctor gave up, leaving Waichigo with two options: surgery or in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, neither option was feasible due to her high blood pressure and financial constraints.
Waichigo's husband, DJ Soxxy, remained optimistic, and nine months after she stopped taking medication, she became pregnant with her first child. 'It was a miracle,' she says. 'I still have PCOS, but I can't say I'm infertile because I have children now.'
Today, Waichigo is a proud mother of two and has started the PCOS Foundation of Kenya to provide a safe space for women to share their stories and seek support. 'I want to find out how many women have PCOS in Kenya because we dwell on research information from America and other parts of the world,' she explains.
