Media Fact Sheet
The Organization
Few Americans realize that leprosy still exists and would be surprised to learn that every two minutes someone will discover they have the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2009 there were 250,000 new diagnosed cases of leprosy.
American Leprosy Missions (ALM) is the oldest and largest Christian organization in the United States dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by leprosy and related diseases. ALM operates in 14 countries, serving hundreds of thousands of people in Africa, Asia and South America. ALM also regularly collaborates with ministries of health, the World Health Organization (WHO), non-governmental organizations and the International Federation of Anti-leprosy Association Partners (ILEP). Our staff includes several world-renowned experts in leprosy and Buruli ulcer, including award-winning doctors and consultants to WHO. During its more than 100-year history, ALM has provided holistic care to four million people around the world including medical treatment and training, Christian outreach, prevention of disability, community development, education assistance, micro-credit loans and vaccine research.
Leprosy
Leprosy is a disease that has plagued mankind since before biblical times. Also called Hansen's Disease, it attacks the nervous system and numbs extremities in the cooler parts of the body - the hands, feet and face. The most common symptom is discolored patches of skin that lose their sensitivity. If left untreated, leprosy can cause the fingers and toes to claw inward and the eyes to lose their ability to blink, therefore causing blindness. It can also cause permanent ulcers and infections in the hands and feet. These occur when cuts, bruises and burns are ignored because the person does not feel any pain.
When ALM was established, there was no cure for leprosy. It wasn't until 1982 that a cure was made widely available. A combination of three separate antibiotics (dapsone, clofazimine and rifampicin), known as Multi-Drug Therapy, will kill the bacteria that causes leprosy. Ninety percent of people are naturally immune to the disease. For those at risk, prolonged exposure to droplets from sneezing and coughing by an infected person can cause the disease to spread.
Buruli Ulcer
Buruli ulcer is a disease related to leprosy that attacks and destroys the flesh. More than 50% of Buruli ulcer victims are under the age of 15. WHO has identified Buruli ulcer as one of the most neglected tropical diseases; tens of thousands of cases have been reported in more than 30 countries. Though the disease starts out as a seemingly innocent nodule, underneath ulcerations eat away the flesh and sometimes the bone. It can be cured with eight weeks of daily injections of antibiotics. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent deformity, long-term disability and sometimes life-threatening secondary infections.
Cost of the Cure
On average, it costs $348 to cure and care for one person with leprosy. The cost is greater for Buruli ulcer, averaging $600 per person. These costs cover education, distribution of medication, reconstructive surgery, prevention of disability, vocational training and assistance in community reintegration.
Leprosy in the World
In Asia, Africa and Latin America, leprosy remains a public health problem. For generations people have feared leprosy, attaching severe social stigma to people who have the disease. Thousands of patients are rejected by their families and friends and ostracized by the communities in which they live. The age-old prejudice associated with the disease continues to devastate people when they find out they have leprosy. Poverty and lack of medical care compound the problems.
Buruli Ulcer in the World
Buruli ulcer is found mainly in West Africa, but has also been detected in Australia, Brazil and China. The disease is thought to somehow spread in relation to contaminated, stagnant water. However, people often believe that it results from a past sin or curse. This, combined with the disfiguration the disease can cause, result in strong stigma and isolation of people affected by Buruli ulcer.
Financials
ALM is a member in good standing with Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and the Better Business Bureau. The organization is audited each year by an outside accounting firm and its annual reports and 990 tax returns are available online at www.leprosy.org.
Website
www.leprosy.org
National Office
American Leprosy Missions
1 ALM Way
Greenville, SC 29601
Media Information
Email shesshaus@leprosy.org to receive news releases and other media material electronically.
Media Contact
Sarah Hesshaus
Communications Manager
864.241.1731
800.543.3135
shesshaus@leprosy.org
