When Gillian from The Leprosy Mission met Kamal at Anandaban Hospital in Nepal, she was heartbroken. The eight-year-old boy sat with his head in his hands, his face swollen with patches and lumps, his body covered in the signs of leprosy.
Kamal was very sad about how leprosy had affected him. What he did not know was that he stood on the edge of something far worse – a lifetime of disability and deformity. That is what leprosy can cause when it goes untreated.
Living in a tiny hut, malnourished and vulnerable, Kamal was at risk. When the first lesions appeared, his mother took him to a traditional healer, as is the custom in rural Nepal. But instead of help, she was told Kamal had been cursed by the snake god. The family gave what little they had in costly offerings, plunging further into poverty. Kamal only became more unwell. His eyes swelled shut. His tongue, neck, and throat swelled so badly that he struggled to breathe. Relatives turned away. His mother said, “They don’t want us because of leprosy. They’ve disowned us. We’re not family to them anymore.”
Kamal’s father refused to give up. He insisted they take the five-hour journey to The Leprosy Mission’s Anandaban Hospital. There, Kamal and his family were told the truth: his illness was not a curse, but a disease that could be treated. Thanks to supporters, Kamal was given three steroid medications, Multi-Drug Therapy, nutritious food, and compassionate care.
His mother shared her gratitude. “I’m so thankful. I couldn’t help my son. We have no money. If treatment wasn’t free for us, I don’t know what we would do.”
Kamal’s story shows both the terrible impact of childhood leprosy and the hope that treatment provides. And on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, you have the chance to take action.
Giving Day is a one-day matched giving event. Every donation made that day is doubled. For just 24 hours, your kindness can go twice as far, helping to bring urgent treatment and care to children like Kamal.
The goal is clear. Childhood leprosy must end. Together, we can stop transmission by 2035. Every gift on Giving Day helps protect children from the stigma, disability, and pain that leprosy still causes.
Leprosy is still a thing. But it does not have to be for the next generation. On 30 September 2025, you can be part of the solution.
Be part of giving hope. And be part of the generation to beat leprosy.
To learn more on Giving Day, head to: https://endleprosy.org/
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