The fact that fear is only in your head, is proved rightly by Birendra Kumar, 35, who went through his ulcer treatment of his right foot in May 2014, at TLM Naini Hospital. In 2005, he was injured with a stone in Mumbai. He spent over Rs 2 lakhs on his treatment, but no doctor could diagnose or offer suitable treatment. As his condition worsened, the doctors from Government Hospital Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh told him that his foot would have to be amputated and referred him to TLM Naini Hospital for further treatment. He visited the hospital in October 2013, and the doctors there saved his foot.

Once M. leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy damages peripheral sensory nerves in the body, the leprosy patient loses sensations in the afflicted part of the body. This condition can lead to ulcer. Proper ulcer dressing is very important for the healing process. Even the family members of leprosy patients refuse to clean the ulcers, often foul-smelling and filled with pus. Ulcers are a great cause of stress and depression for people who suffer from them.

Birender, who has walked the same road, can now empathise with the people who suffer the same problems and volunteers in dressing the wounds of those patients. “I am not scared of anything. It makes me happy that I am able to serve my fellow patients. TLM has provided me this opportunity and I have decided to give it my all,”shares Birender.

In an environment where most people are burnt out from the hardships, Birender not only studies to prepare for his B.Ed. exams but also looks forward to a more secure government job. His stories of being fearless even on the brink of losing his leg, the energy he carries to the wards and the commitment towards his work are the essential ingredients of mainstreaming efforts.