10 things to know about former NTV host Janet Kanini
Former NTV host Janet Kanini Ikua died on Saturday after succesfully recovering from lung cancer.
Here are ten things you probably did not know about the bubbly Ms Kanini whose fight against cancer warmed the hearts of many Kenyans.
1. Janet Kanini Ikua died aged 38 years. Sshe was the host of N-Soko Property Show before resigning to focus on her battle aganst cancer.
2. She attended Precious Blood Riruta and later Kenyatta University in Naitobi, where she was a member of the travelling theatre group. The group included members of the Redykyulass! comedy trio of Walter Mong’are (now a communications officer at the Nairobi County government), Tony Njuguna (a public relations practioner) and Charles Kiarie who has since joined politics.
3. She was married to Tony Ikua. The two met during their acting days at the theatre. Their first ever conversation was when Tony met Janet on backstage and asked her for directions to the toilet. The couple was blessed with two kids, a boy and girl.
4. Janet’s first attempt on joining journalism “failed miserably” in her own words. She went for a screen test at NTV and KTN and on both occasions was told she was not good enough. “One of the stations mentioned that my face was too young for news,” she said in an interview with the Daily Nation in 2008.
5. Undeterred in her desire to break into TV, she started doing voice overs in advertisements and attached to the Phoenix theatre group for two year that helped her horn her acting skills as well as learn the technical aspects of play direction.
6. In 2015, Janet was diagonised with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) that had resulted in blood clots in her legs. She underwent check ups and treatment at various Nairobi hospitals where she was eventually diagnosed to have lung cancer. The news was a shock to many Kenyans.
7. Coincidentally, Janet’s dad Peter Muiva also had cancer.
8. Kenyans from all walks of life participated in the campaign dubbed One Nation for Janet to fundraise for her treatement in India.
9. She was declared healed of lung cancer.
10. She dedicated her last days sensitizing the public on cancer awareness through her social media platforms.
