Kamis, 31 Mei 2012

LEPROSY, don't call us MONSTER!

(photo above: the leper) "Please raise your hand if you are not afraid of people with leprosy!?" Things were quiet enough that I got from the representative answers the questions above. So sad, the rapid growth and development of modern society are not same with public knowledge of health and disease. Perhaps many people do not know well about leprosy, so first let's call the word leprosy with Morbus Hansen, to make it look not scary and exciting to learn. Morbus Hansen in the public eye seem like a cruel curse that can not be cured. People who contract the disease will have ulcers and body shape winding stump even ugly. Disgusting! Unclean! Scary! Contagious! And other stigma will appear alternately in the minds of people who are not familiar with this disease either. Morbus Hansen is not something so weird like common people think. People should know that Morbus Hansen is NOT easy to spread. If the victims have drunk medicine even only once, they will not infected others.
(photo above: the saddle nose of leper) This project I take when I did internship program at Sumber Gagah hospital, the biggest leprosy hospital in east java province, indonesia. I lived there for two weeks with the lepers. I was studying about how to take care, to cure and to build good relationship with them. It's so amazing experience to live together among them. They just the same with us, they laugh, they talk, they eat, they play, they sing, they work even they have limitation with their shape. Some of them are less confidence through their limitation, some not. It's just my pleasure to encourage them to be confidence.
(photo above: the lepers wear special shoes to therapy their drop foot) They may have unperfect shape, but we have to help them to build perfect spirit to keep them life. Don't call them monster, it's just about the shape, but inside they're great fighter to life in unperfect condition. Lets erase the stigma. Morbus Hansen a.k.a Leprosy is friend of us :)
(photo above: the daughters of lepers, they're normal,it's a prove that leprosy is not easy to spread.)
(photo above: the doctor and the medical team work together in operation room to help the leper, it's an amputation)
(photo above: they also love texting :) )
(photo above: work on girls ;) )
(photo above: mr. hudi still goes working even he stand with his leg phantom)
(photo above: removing dirt and callous from the foot of leper)
(photo above: the headmen of leprosy village around the hospital)
(photo above: cheers, mom!)
(photo above: the sweety, even though his father is an ex-leper)
(photo above: lets practice walking, buddy!)
(photo above: see this smile!)