John Kagwi and his Six Bridges Foundation–an amazing true story of second chances, hope, and making a colossal difference for cancer patients in Kenya

A cancer diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma in June 2022 for John Kagwi of Nairobi, Kenya was a major eye opener. Following diagnosis, John discerned he could not get reliable cancer care in the country of Kenya. He was able to obtain a stem cell transplant in India in 2023 and is considered to still be doing well on a maintenance drug as of today.

John realized he had been given a huge second chance. He also realized that his fellow countrymen have not even gotten a first chance when it comes to having cancer. Most of us think of this area as being a great travel destination to take a safari. But there is a real side to Kenya, especially in the rural areas. Salaries in Kenya are meager and only cover the necessities. There are no health insurance programs like we know. An individual is expected to pay out of pocket for good medical care. Imagine how much chemo, radiation, or maintenance medication costs in Kenya translated to your form of currency.

According to https://africanrelief.org/poverty-in-kenya/ , as of 2022, 39.8% of the country lives below the national poverty line. This is an enormous amount in a country with over 50 million people! The rural areas suffer the most. “Rural families often depend on subsistence farming, which leaves them exposed to droughts, floods, and other climate shocks that directly impact their ability to generate income and access food.” Therefore, the need for basics like food and medical care persists.

Another great barrier to a good quality of life is Kenya’s healthcare infrastructure https://generisonline.com/overview-of-the-healthcare-system-in-kenya/ . This website goes on to explain that “The healthcare system in Kenya is confronted by a myriad of challenges that impede its ability to deliver quality care services to the population. One of the most pressing issues is insufficient funding. Despite various governmental and international efforts, healthcare financing remains inadequate, resulting in strained resources. This lack of financial support affects all levels of care, from primary to tertiary services, leading to the inability to procure essential medical supplies and equipment…

…Inadequate infrastructure represents another major challenge. Many health facilities are either dilapidated or lacking essential amenities such as clean water, electricity, and sanitation. This deficiency not only hinders effective healthcare delivery but also discourages patients from accessing care due to safety concerns. Additionally, the disparity in access to healthcare between urban and rural areas in Kenya exacerbates these challenges. Urban centers often have better-equipped facilities, while rural populations remain underserved, contributing to health inequities.

Another dimension to consider is the impact of social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status, education, and living conditions. These factors heavily influence individuals’ health outcomes and access to healthcare services. Addressing these social determinants, paired with significant reforms aimed at enhancing funding, staffing, and infrastructure, is crucial for improving the overall healthcare system in Kenya. The need for a comprehensive strategy that encompasses both immediate and long-term solutions is evident.” (entire quote is from https://generisonline.com/overview-of-the-healthcare-system-in-kenya/) It appears that if you have the funds to pay, you can obtain very good private healthcare; however, the health services available to the below poverty population is subpar, at best. Can you envision going to your local hospital and it not having any electricity or indoor toilets?

Imagine having breast cancer and having a mastectomy but not being able to afford the after care that is needed! A drain or drains is installed and stays with you at home for 2-4 weeks. This information from MD Anderson gives some eye opening information about what a person in the United States endures following breast cancer surgery. This article from National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc, gives advice to folks going through mastectomy and recovery from a western perspective, including buying something called “drain aprons”. But for a patient in the rural areas of Kenya, it is very difficult for them to honor all these recovery rules when their livelihood is suffering the longer they stay off their feet. When we run out of of Advil or Panadol, we can just order some from our preferred store and in some cases, it will be delivered to our home the very same day. But for a Kenyan woman who has had a mastectomy, everything is a battle to obtain. She even has to consider whether or not she can afford a prosthetic breast.

For this reason and so many others, John formed the Six Bridges Foundation. He filed paperwork with the Kenyan government to allow his organization to be a legitimate non-profit organization (also known as NGO), similar to the United States’ American Red Cross and the Household Support Fund in the UK. Take a moment to view the video in the next block.

The faces behind this work are John and his associate in the USA Dan Swanson. Earlier this year, Dan produced this video that explains the passion and hope behind John’s vision: https://youtu.be/jSqaGKouN7M?si=eyemePXtK98Iox13

The main objective of Six Bridges is “To promote access to healthcare services for the needy cancer patients in Kenya”. The six bridges are: Basic insurance coverage for the needy, material support (household expenses and other basic needs) for those who are struggling financially, food aid, public advocacy and awareness, keeping school-aged children in school while they or a family member deals with cancer, supportive and palliative care services.

Dan was instrumental in helping John get the foundation off the ground, and as a result of their partnership, the organization is backed and verified by Global Giving. This organization is similar to Charity Navigator but it specifically vets organizations all over the world, whereas Charity Navigator is for USA based charities only. Global Giving offers a method of sending funds to Six Bridges (see the QR code on the poster at the bottom of the post) and so does sixbridgesfoundation.org. I reside in the United States, so the Global Giving website shows me a chart for giving in American dollars.

Giving opportunities exist in two ways, one time giving and monthly giving. Examples given in US dollars is as follows:

$10 provides a nutritious meal daily for one month

$25 covers round-trip transportation for cancer treatments for one month

$50 supplies a newly diagnosed cancer patient with a “care package” that includes hygiene supplies and comfort essentials

$100 provides a child with one month of food while their parent undergoes cancer treatment

$250 provides emergency medical insurance for one month

$500 pays for school expenses for a child orphaned by cancer

$750 prosthetics and wigs, towels, waterproof mattresses and other supplies to FIVE cancer patients

Please note, these are just examples of some of the endless needs.

The photo above is John with a young woman named Triza. She is suffering from osteogenetic sarcoma. She and John attended an event sponsored by Nairobi Chapel church who hosted Hope Mobility. Hope Mobility is an international organization which provides wheel chairs for folks who could not obtain one on their own. On this day, a few weeks ago at the end of October, 2025, Triza received her wheechair!

John is always busy. He personally gets involved and gets his hands dirty. Since there are no government run food programs, he becomes the program. He travels via bus and sometimes has to walk several miles after the bus drops him to get to a patient’s home. John has filmed such a journey which I have nicknamed, “Visiting Peter”. Please take a moment to watch the video.

Dan Swanson feels the most pressing and easiest need to meet is providing the basics like food and medical necessities to the neediest. To learn more about the foods commonly eaten in Kenya, please check out this link: https://ancestraleating.org/blogs/african-diets/the-foods-eaten-by-the-people-of-kenya.

John sent me the following photos with quite the back story.

John states, ‘I’m happy I was able to meet, support and encourage this very needy family of a grandmother and her extended family of 9 grandchildren. She is taking care of them single handedly as 6 are orphans from her 2 daughters whose mothers died of cancer. This is maize flour which is the most popular staple here.’

The last section of this article highlights three current campaigns in which John is involved. If you feel inspired to donate to John’s work in Kenya, please use the QR codes to give to one of these campaigns OR use https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/giving-hope-to-cancer-patients-in-kenya-lifesaving-care/ for general giving.

Bridgit’s Plight “My name is Bridgit Wambui Mumbi. I am 18 years old. I come from kikuyu constituency Kiambu county and am a Kenyan. It was on October 2020 when I was about to sit for my KCPE examination, I accidentally fell and rolled down the stairs and got injured on my right upper jaw and my two teeth fell out. After the accident I was rushed to the hospital and I was given painkillers. I proceeded with my studies until Form four 3rd term November 2024 when I realized I had a swelling on my lower jaw on the right side. I went to Lussigeti hospital and I was referred to PCEA Kikuyu hospital on the dental clinic side. I did several scans; Ex-ray, bioxin and CT scan. The bioxin report showed that I had mandible cancer. On 14th January I went for my first surgery and on 22nd January I went for my second surgery. Stayed in hospital for two weeks and I was later discharged. After a month, I was referred to Kenyatta National Hospital for Chemotherapy. I was told i would undergo six cycles of chemotherapy. I have done two chemotherapies. I  am now waiting for jaw bone reconstruction when my mom gets money. I want to thank john and Six Bridges Foundation for helping me and my mom with money for transportation to hospital, food. Thank you very much”

My desire is to encourage people to get involved, even when traveling thousands of miles is impossible. You will notice that Dan’s phone number is listed on the campaign posters above, and he was very willing to speak to me, which we did in October. I have also communicated with John extensively on WhatsApp chat. Our time zones are radically different but the majority of the information used in this article was obtained from chatting with John. Both gentlemen have been transparent with me and John has admitted that most of the funds have been from Dan and himself. We are imagining and hopeful for this infant organization to grow in scope and magnitude as a result of word of mouth I look forward to watching this little mustard seed of selfless action grow in to a mighty mustard plant.