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Facing death in Kenya

In Kenya, speaking of death before it happens is taboo, but a group of Christians have made its their life’s work to help ease the passing of those with terminal illness.

In Kenya, palliative care - which involves end of life care for terminally ill patients - is often treated with suspicion. There's a deep taboo around speaking about the death of a person before it happens, which is thought to be like welcoming it. Some feel that taking up end of life care indicates that you've lost faith in the power of a healing God to cure your illness.

But serious and complex illnesses like cancer are becoming more common in Kenya, and end of life care is a much-needed service for people facing death. In Eldoret, Western Kenya, a group of Christians have made it their life's work to defy the stigma, and to help those with terminal illnesses find peace in their final days.

Kimbilio Hospice, run by a Christian charity called Living Room International, was established by Pastor David Tarus over a decade ago. The hospice provides specialist medical care to ease symptoms at the very end of a patient’s life, but often they first have to convince patients' families that it's OK to accept the facility's help. ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Africa reporter Esther Ogola visited the hospice to see what exactly that entails.

Presenter: Esther Ogola
Producer: Mary Goodhart / Esther Ogola
Series Producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Helen Grady
Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno

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27 minutes

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Fri 12 Jan 2024 23:32GMT

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