You and I are so close to wiping out leprosy forever, but this stubborn disease continues to steal the childhoods of young, innocent lives. Manish Kumar, an 11-year-old from Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, dreams of becoming a medical professional one day. Yet, leprosy has ravaged his body, turning his dreams into distant hopes.
Manish’s journey began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when he started experiencing weakness in his right hand. As the youngest of three siblings in a joint family of 15, Manish’s parents—his father a cook at a local hotel and his mother a homemaker—did their best to seek treatment. Unfortunately, financial hardships and limited healthcare access led them to rely on a local quack, whose treatments provided little relief.
Last month, Manish’s condition worsened. An ill-advised home remedy caused severe burns and a painful ulcer on his hand. A compassionate well-wisher guided Manish’s family to The Leprosy Mission Hospital in Naini, where Manish’s life took a hopeful turn.
At the hospital, doctors diagnosed Manish with leprosy and began Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) to halt the disease’s progression. His ulcer is under treatment and will take 2-3 weeks to heal before he can undergo reconstructive surgery on his right hand. Manish’s reconstructive surgery will restore functionality to his hand—allowing him to hold a water glass, write in school, and reclaim the childhood he has missed.
Leprosy has stolen so much from Manish—his education, his friends, and his sense of normalcy. But with proper care and support, doctors believe Manish can recover and pursue his dream of becoming a medical professional who helps others.
We have the cure, the tools, and the ability to spot and stop leprosy. All we need now is your support.
Your generosity can transform Manish’s life. By donating today, you will provide the treatment, surgery, and care he needs to reclaim his future and help us move closer to a world free from leprosy.
As you all are aware, we are a not-for-profit hospital that depends largely on charity to provide essential treatments to our patients. Most of our patients, like Manish, come from extremely marginalised circumstances and cannot afford treatment in private hospitals. It is also true that Leprosy treatments are not provided in most of the hospitals in India and The Leprosy Mission hospitals are almost unique in the comprehensive hospital healthcare provided to people affected by leprosy.