Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business?
NANCY GITHOITHO: My mother was diagnosed with stage 3 Breast Cancer in 2017. She died exactly one year later 2018, due to stigma caused by society, lack of support group and low self esteem after loosing her breast.
Great Companies: What are the various services provided by LIMAU CANCER CONNECTION?
NANCY GITHOITHO: Psychosocial Cancer support groups, we train local women groups on how to knit and donate knitted breast prostheses that enable women to regain their dignity. We also provide referral services to hospitals. We educate the community on early symptoms of breast cancer through country wide breast cancer awareness events .
Great Companies: What makes LIMAU CANCER CONNECTION different from hundreds of other similar service providers?
NANCY GITHOITHO: We believe in For us by us leadership style .Limau is ran by cancer patients and a board/staff that has been directly by cancer. We lead by compassion, integrity and livable experiences. We engage patients everyday and so we are in a better position to advocate on their behalf.
Great Companies: What were the struggles and challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
NANCY GITHOITHO: My greatest challenge was running psycho social support groups and loosing so many patients in the platforms. I felt Hopeless and I was also suffering from burn out. At one point I contemplated closing the non profit for lack of funding, but the members begged me not to, because that was their only home where they came to seek refuge. I overcame the burn out by going back to the gym and practicing yoga and meditation. What kept me going was the resilience of the patients we serve and their assurance of everything was going to be ok.
i must admit I have met a lot of destiny helpers along the way.
Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for LIMAU CANCER CONNECTION?
NANCY GITHOITHO: We recently partnered with Grow with Google digital program, where we plan to roll out in a few months. We introduced this program to enable our patients and caregivers, learn digital skills which will help them access remote jobs. Where they can work from home as they recover or take care of their loved ones suffering from cancer. We are looking for a space we can set up a hub to bring this to life as a Community Cancer Resource Center in Kenya. We hope to open more resource centers across the country.
Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
NANCY GITHOITHO: Patience and learning from experience. Everything happens for a reason.