Late detection of breast cancer is a significant issue in Western Kenya due to fear, misinformation, poverty, and limited healthcare access, as highlighted by doctors at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu.

• More than 70 percent of breast cancer patients at JOOTRH arrive at Stage 3 or 4 of the disease.
• Dr. Ng’ong’a Albert, lead clinician of the Kisumu Breast Cancer Project, reported a 20 percent loss of women in their program within six months of diagnosis.
• The Kisumu Breast Cancer Project, launched in January 2025, has supported 77 women by covering diagnostic and treatment costs through donor funding.
• Starting October, JOOTRH will offer free breast cancer screenings every Tuesday and Friday, including free mammograms for high-risk women or those over 40.
• A full diagnostic process for breast cancer can exceed Sh50,000, a prohibitive cost for many in the region where 80 percent of women at JOOTRH are unemployed or in informal work.