Rakesh can look to a brighter future – Thanks to you!

Earlier this year we introduced you to Rakesh.

Rakesh is eighteen years old and is already having to deal with the fear and stigma that even the suspicion of leprosy can bring about.

Thanks to you he is not only on the road to physical recovery but also towards overcoming his fear of what the future could hold.

When Rakesh found a large discoloured patch on his arm, his parents were afraid of wat it might be.

They were so afraid of what the reaction from their community might be that they sent him to a government-run hospital in another state.

The doctors there didn’t want to know. They didn’t tell him what was wrong or give him any treatment – they just sent him away, telling him to go to The Leprosy Mission hospital. In yet another state!

Finally someone was able to tell him what was wrong. His families fears had been proved right – he has leprosy.

The hospital started treating him with Multi-Drug Therapy – the combination of three antibiotics that will cure his leprosy.

He has been continuing to take his medication at home and is well on the way to being cured.

He came back to the hospital because he has lost all the strength in his right hand, wrist and arm.

The nerves in his arm have been damaged by the leprosy – perhaps if he had received treatment sooner this could have been prevented.

The surgeon at The Leprosy Mission hospital is confident that the full strength and mobility in his arm can be restored and thanks to you Rakesh has been able to receive the vital operation he needed.

He will have a long road ahead for his arm to heal from the operation and then extensive physiotherapy regain the full use of his arm.

Before coming to the hospital, and even once here, Rakesh has been telling people that he hurt his arm in a fall – too afraid to tell anyone that he has leprosy.

He has finished school and wants to go on to study more so that he can get a better job but he has had to put all his future plans on hold while he focuses on getting better.

While he is in hospital recovering from his operation he will be able to spend time with a counsellor who will help him to understand and deal with his own fears about leprosy.

Together they will work towards Rakesh rebuilding his confidence and hopes for the future.

Thanks to you, this bright young man can go on to achieve great things, with the same opportunities as anyone else his age.