You may think that leprosy is an ancient Biblical disease, but today someone is newly diagnosed with leprosy every two minutes. Even though there is a cure, sadly leprosy continues to rob people of family, jobs, and dignity.
Stigma and discrimination mean people with leprosy hide their symptoms for as long as possible, living in fear of what will happen to them. If leprosy is not caught early, a sufferer can lose feeling in hands and feet, and also go blind.
Daily tasks become fraught with danger, hands get burned while cooking and sharp stones can injure feet. Injury cause ulcers, which can then lead to amputation. Fingers curl inwards and won’t straighten, making it impossible to care for children or hold a tool to work in the fields. Poverty means there is no money for medicine. Depression sets in, even thoughts of suicide; better to die than bring shame on your family and be forced to live as an outcast. Leprosy is a bacterium. It is not hereditary; it cannot be caught by touch. It’s curable with a simple combination of Multidrug therapy (a mixture of three antibiotics).
Yet leprosy continues to be a devastating disease. Such is the discrimination faced by people with leprosy, that many hide their symptoms for as long as possible, living in terrible fear or what will happen to them.
The Leprosy Mission is an international development organisation based in Peterborough. In partnership with supporters, we work to restore health, hope and independence to people affected by leprosy, disability and extreme poverty across Africa and Asia.
We depend on the support of businesses to fundraise, so that we can cure leprosy and deliver life-changing services including:
• Reconstructive surgery and physiotherapy
• Help with mobility
• Access to clean water
• Housing and sanitation
• Education and training regardless of age or gender
• Skills training in livelihoods development and getting small businesses started
• Advocating for fair and equal treatment at local and national government level
• Pioneering research
You can help to rebuild lives devastated by leprosy. Lives such as Zaina (see her story below), who lost everything because of the disease and rose to become an advocate for others.
Zaina’s Story – Click here
Will you join us? Together we can do something great. If you would like to support the work of the leprosy mission through your business, then please contact Shabina on 01733 370505 or email Shabinas@tlmew.org.uk