REV. FREDRICK BEUCHI CLIMBS MOUNT EVEREST TO CHALLENGE EPILEPSY MYTHS
Methodist cleric Rev. Fredrick Beuchi has climbed to Mount Everest Base Camp to raise awareness about epilepsy and challenge myths linking the condition to witchcraft, curses and demonic possession.
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A Methodist Church of Kenya cleric has reached the base of Mount Everest as part of an awareness campaign aimed at challenging myths and stigma surrounding epilepsy.
Rev. Fredrick Beuchi undertook a 28-day expedition to the Himalayas, spending about 17 days climbing and covering more than 130 kilometres before reaching Everest Base Camp at an altitude of 5,348 metres above sea level.
For Beuchi, the expedition was more than a personal physical challenge. He used the climb to amplify the message that epilepsy is a medical condition and should not be associated with witchcraft, demonic possession or curses.
His campaign is deeply personal. His younger sister was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of two, while his wife also lives with the condition. Beuchi said his family's experience with epilepsy motivated him to dedicate himself to raising awareness and fighting stigma.
According to Beuchi, his sister has been seizure-free for about a decade after receiving treatment. However, he said her condition affected her education after some schools were reluctant to accommodate her medication needs.
The cleric's epilepsy awareness campaign began years before his Everest expedition. In 2018, he walked about 480 kilometres from Nairobi to Mombasa. In 2020, he cycled from Nairobi to Arusha before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, while in 2024 he climbed Mount Fuji in Japan. He has also participated in an ultramarathon.
Beuchi estimates that his initiatives have reached more than five million people with information about epilepsy. His message is aimed at encouraging people to seek medical care while challenging misconceptions that can lead to discrimination.
The World Health Organization estimates that about 50 million people globally live with epilepsy. The organisation says epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder and that up to 70 per cent of people living with the condition could become seizure-free with appropriate treatment.
Following his arrival at Everest Base Camp, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule congratulated Beuchi, describing his achievement as part of efforts to challenge stigma and increase awareness about epilepsy.
For Beuchi, the climb represented another chapter in a campaign that has taken him across roads and mountains, with the goal of putting epilepsy awareness on a global platform.
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Written by Anne Moses
Reporter and staff writer at Getembe News.
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