The sky was moody, the wind unrelenting.. yet for cancer warriors, caregivers, and their supporters, it was the perfect day to breathe deeply, reflect, and show up for themselves and for one another.

Aligning with Mental Health Awareness Month, the 3rd edition of the #KileleChallenge at Ngong Hills on May 31st was more than just a hike. It was a collective commitment to resilience, emotional healing and mental wellbeing.

The day reinforced a vital truth: mental health is just as critical as physical health in survivorship.

The Weight After Survival

Among the hikers was Judy Wanjiru, a cervical cancer survivor. For Judy, the climb was more than a physical challenge, it was a symbolic journey back to herself.

After being declared cancer-free, she expected relief and joy. Instead, she found herself battling post-treatment depression.

“I didn’t feel victorious. I felt lost. Everyone was celebrating my healing, but I was struggling to sleep, to connect, to find meaning.”

For months, Judy avoided social gatherings, lived in fear of recurrence, and carried the heavy fatigue of emotional burnout. The KILELE Challenge became her first step back into community.

“Walking beside people who understood the struggle felt like my spirit was finally being seen. I smiled for the first time in weeks.”

Every step, she said, was a release of the weight she had been silently carrying.

Why Mental Health? Why Now?

In Kenya, mental health remains one of the most overlooked aspects of cancer care, yet it impacts nearly every patient and caregiver. Depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, and emotional numbness often accompany treatment and post-treatment experiences.

KILELE Health Association created this hike to break the silence — offering a non-clinical, nature-based space for healing that acknowledges the emotional toll of cancer and actively supports the mental wellbeing of survivors and caregivers.

 “Cancer doesn’t end with chemotherapy. You still wake up scared, lonely, or broken. Sometimes you need a space like this to exhale,”
said Zettun Ali, KILELE Health counselling psychologist.

Feedback shared by the participants during and after the hike captured the raw, heartfelt impact:

“This is what healing looks like..  wind in your face and people by your side.”
“It helped me exhale after months of holding everything in.”
“I finally cried. And it wasn’t out of fear, but freedom.”

How KILELE Health Is Changing the Narrative

The #KileleChallenge is not just a hike, it’s a movement toward a more human, inclusive, and holistic approach to healing.

Through peer-led experiences, nature immersion, and powerful storytelling, KILELE Health Association is redefining survivorship in Kenya, showing warriors how to reclaim peace, find connection, and heal beyond hospital walls.

“Healing isn’t always clinical,” said Churchill Otieno.
“Sometimes it’s found in the silence between steps, in shared breath, in wind and sky.”

Join the Movement

Whether you’re a cancer warrior, caregiver, supporter, or health advocate, there’s a place for you in the KILELE Health community.

Stay connected. Show up. Walk with us.

#KILELEChallenge #UnitedByUnique