In a healthcare system where little is known about GBS, CIDP and associated neuropathies such as MMN, receiving a diagnosis can often come with fear, stigma and uncertainty. Suddenly, patients and their families are confronted with conditions they may never have heard of, often with few people around them who truly understand what they are going through.

In the face of these challenges, one is naturally compelled to seek out anyone who has lived through the same experience. Two patients became three, three became many, and over time we grew into a vast community of patients and survivors drawn from across Kenya.

We found strength in one another. We shared our experiences, offered moral support and helped each other navigate the uncertainty and challenges of recovery. What began as patients simply trying to help one another gradually revealed something much bigger: the patient journey itself has significant gaps that lead to poor patient outcomes.

We saw how limited awareness could delay recognition and diagnosis. We saw how fragmented care could leave patients struggling to find the right support, and how limited access to treatment and rehabilitation profoundly affects recovery and quality of life.

We recognise that these gaps cannot be closed by patients alone. It requires healthcare professionals, government, healthcare institutions, industry and other stakeholders to work together. We need a stronger care system, better coordination and meaningful engagement in health policy.

This realisation gave birth to GBS Foundation-Kenya.

What began with patients searching for someone who understood their predicament has grown into the GBS Foundation. We are committed to ensuring that patients get what they need throughout their journey by strengthening awareness, patient support and access to affordable treatment.