Credit: fstop123
Renowned Kenyan psychiatrist Lukoye Atwoli has shared a tragic story of a patient who died after abandoning her cancer treatment, convinced she had been healed at a prophet’s crusade.
In a Facebook post, Atwoli recalled how, nearly 20 years ago, a woman with newly diagnosed breast cancer was referred to him for treatment planning.
She was anxious but willing to follow medical advice. For several months, her treatment went well, and she showed clear signs of improvement.
However, everything changed after the woman attended a “prophet’s” end-of-year crusade in Eldoret.
She told Atwoli she had been healed and no longer needed treatment. Despite a long discussion about her condition, she insisted on leaving the hospital against medical advice.
“Six months later, I saw her again. She had an open wound on her chest, was delirious, and had lost much of her strength. She could not even remember me,” Atwoli wrote. The patient died shortly after.
Atwoli noted that this pattern was common around the holidays. Many patients with chronic illnesses skipped treatment after attending faith gatherings, leading to preventable complications and deaths.
He added that when crusades moved to Nakuru, complications temporarily dropped in Eldoret but simply shifted elsewhere in the country.
“Faith is important, but it cannot replace medical care,” Atwoli said. “My role is to give you enough information to make informed health choices.”
The psychiatrist’s post is a powerful reminder of the risks of abandoning treatment, even when miracles are claimed.
He urged the public to combine faith with evidence-based medical care to avoid unnecessary suffering and loss of life.