SPEAKER PROFILES:

DR. DOREEN KARIMI MUTUA

Dr. Mutua is a pediatrician whose passion for children with blood disorders and cancer was ignited during her residency training at the University of Nairobi where she noticed that most of these children had dismal outcomes due to late presentation, lack of appropriate diagnostic and treatment facilities. Dr. Mutua is a beneficiary of a two-year training program conducted as a twinning program between Jimma University (Ethiopia) and ASLAN Project (a USA-based Non- Governmental organization) that seeks to build the capacity of low and middle-income countries in treating children with blood disorders and cancer. She completed her training in May 2018 and returned back to Kenya to establish hematology/oncology services that include centers of excellence for pediatric cancer care and comprehensive sickle cell care at the Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital. She is passionate about raising awareness on childhood cancer with regard to early detection, establishing treatment guidelines, and improving outcomes for Kenyan children who have cancer. She is also keen on seeing the establishment of comprehensive sickle cell centers in the country which can help reduce the morbidity and mortality of these patients.

DR. SARAH MUMA

Dr. Sarah Muma is a Pediatric Oncologist at Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH). She is a graduate of the University of Nairobi where she received her Bachelor’s degree (MBChB) as well as her Master’s degree in Pediatrics and Child Health. Her main interest is in developing low-cost, high-impact models of management for children with cancer in low-income settings. Towards this, Dr. Sarah did a fellowship in Pediatric Oncology at Frere Hospital, Walter Sisulu University in East London, South Africa. She then returned to Kenya to set up the Pediatric oncology service at AIC Kijabe Hospital, which has been operational since 2015. Dr. Muma holds a Master’s degree in Advanced Oncology from Ulm University in Germany. Her hope is that every child will one day have an equal chance at fighting a cancer diagnosis irrespective of their geographic location or socioeconomic situation.

DR. GRACE MBATIA MBChB, MMED (Paediatrics and Child Health), Paediatric Haematology/Oncology & Bone MarrowTransplant (Fellowship), Healthcare Management (Post-graduate Dip).

Dr. Mbatia is currently serving as Full-time faculty at the Aga Khan University, Nairobi providing clinical care to children with blood and cancer disorders as well as supporting pediatric post-graduate medical training for future paediatricians. Her core clinical interests lie in providing care to children with brain and solid tumors whereas her broader interests include supporting medical education, health-systems research, and the optimization of both general pediatric and pediatric blood and cancer care in resource-constrained settings.

MR. COSMAS KIPKOECH

Cosmas Kipkoech, MSW, BA Psychology and Social Work. PGD counseling. Advanced Cert Counselling supervision, Advanced Certificate Child Counselling, and Play Therapy. He is currently based at Aga Khan University Hospital.

DR. IRENE NZAMU

Dr. Nzamu is a Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist and Head, Pediatric Hemato Oncology Unit, Kenyatta National Hospital. She pursued her undergraduate training (MBChB) & postgraduate training (M.MED) at the University of Nairobi. Dr. Nzamu did her Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology & Oncology at Makerere University in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine & Global HOPE Texas Children’s Hospital. She is passionate about offering evidence-based, affordable care for children with cancer & blood diseases in our resource-limited settings.

DR. MATILDA ONG’ONDI

Dr. Matilda is a Consultant Physician and Clinical Hemato-Oncologist at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya’s oldest and largest hospital. She holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree (2005) and a Master of Medicine (MMed) degree in Internal Medicine (2010), both from the University of Nairobi. She is registered with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council as an Internal Medicine Specialist. Dr. Matilda pursued her Clinical Hemato-oncology training at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia in 2017. In addition, she has undertaken various short Fellowship opportunities through the following institutions: International Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Foundation (Royal Adelaide Hospital and SAHMRI Adelaide, 2017); American Society of Hematology, Visitor Training Program at The Cancer Therapy and Research Centre, San Antonio Texas (2014); and Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (2010). Her main interests are Multiple Myeloma; Acute Leukemia; Chronic Leukemia; and Platelet disorders. Her other interests are Psycho-Oncology and Clinical Research. She is also passionate about clinical bedside teaching and mentorship. Dr. Matilda is a member of various societies: Kenya Society of Hematologists and Oncologists (KESHO); European Hematology Association (EHA); and International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH). In addition, she served as a member of the bodies that developed the Kenya National Cancer Guidelines and NCCN Harmonized Guidelines.