Purity Chepkoech (28), Kenyan, is completing a Master’s of Science in Global Health at Duke University. Her thesis project is focused on strengthening community workers’ knowledge of cervical cancer with the goal of improving prevention outcomes in Kenya. In her fieldwork, Purity will develop a curriculum to support community health workers’ training in cervical cancer prevention services, reduce stigma, and improve the uptake of cervical cancer screening and treatment services
Purity has trained and worked as a physician in Kenya, where she has witnessed firsthand the grim realities of women diagnosed with cervical cancer and other gynecologic cancers. She started a breast and cervical cancer awareness program for small groups of 10 to 20 women in her local community. She also volunteered as a research assistant to manage data at the Ampath Chandaria Cancer Centre.
Because of the pivotal role that women play in Kenyan society, a cancer diagnosis negatively impacts families, especially children. Women go through unbearable pain, lose their employment, and are unable to take care of their families. Purity aims to use her medical training, clinical experience, research skills, and knowledge of public health to design effective community-based programs to reduce the burden of female reproductive cancers through prevention and early treatment.
