stories of YOUR GIFTS AT WORK
Lose His Fingers and Toes --
or Lose His Family
Though we'd all risk life and limb
for our families, it's a choice most of us will never have to make.
But Sigamani did. And thanks to
you,
his children will never have to
face that
same decision.
Diagnosed with leprosy in 1976,
Sigamani, a 47-year-old father from India, felt cursed and kept his disease a secret. He initally sought treatment
but worried endlessly about being seen
at the hospital. He was convinced his
wife and two children would be taken
away from him - that he would be left
all alone forever.
It's hard to imagine, but the scorn and shame he faced from his village and family was worse than the threat of losing his fingers, toes, and eyesight.
Delayed Treatment Can Mean
Permanent Damage
Because Sigamani did not complete treatment for his leprosy in time, he now has no sensation in his hands and feet. The nerve damage is bad enough, but what could still happen to him is even worse. A small cut or scrape could easily turn into a deep, infected wound. That is why people with leprosy can lose their limbs.
Sigamani never wanted anyone in his family to go through the shame, pain and suffering he endured. So when his son, Srinath - a 14-year-old with a bright smile - was also diagnosed with leprosy. Sigamani simply told him he was having an allergic reaction. He sought treatment for Srinath at the ALM-supported Schieffellin Institute of Health, but never revealed what it was for.
Today, Srinath - a good student who dreams of being an engineer - has no lasting effects.
HE IS CURED!
"I am very happy for treatment. I am thankful that ALM has cared about us." Sigamani told us. "I am honored for all you have done."
Nearly 700 people worldwide contract leprosy every day. They live with the threat of terrible scarring, deformities, and nerve damage. Worse, they live with a damaging stigma and the fear of never having a normal life again.
