Leprosy Ward, Western Visayas Sanitarium.
I remember one patient asked me 3 years ago, 'Maam, wala ka nahadlok sa amon?' And I said, 'Wala ah. Ngaa man bi?' One newly diagnosed patient told me, 'Salamatkay nfeel nmun na welcome kmi di, wala kamu nandiri'. Made me teary-eyed. Im proud of my WVS family, may you continue making the leprosy patients happy. One thing I regret is leaving that soon without making that Leprosy Awareness seminar happen. I'm proud to say that Im one of the nurses they will never forget because I've touched their lives as they've touched mine. THEY MADE ME APPRECIATE LIFE MORE BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN SECLUSION WHILE I LIVE IN THE OPEN. They are feared and discriminated when they should'nt be. I hope people will realize that and be educated.
Imagine walking about 4-6hrs from the mountains to the main road, ride a jeepney for more than an hour just to go to the sanitarium for treatment/assessment.
Some were abandoned by their families--left alone in their homes. Just imagine how hard it is to live being feared, much more abandoned by loved ones in a place far away from the town proper.
Most patients would get their medications (thanks to the govt, they are all free) in WVS because they are ashamed of their illness or they don't want other people to know they have leprosy. Where in fact, almost every municipality has these medications so it would be convenient for them to have the treatment.
And then I remember there was this patient in IRC who comes every month together with his fellow inmates in the cell for assessment/tests to make sure they don't have the disease.
The youngest patient I have encountered is a 5yr old girl. I was glad her case was detected early. CASEFINDING and EARLY TREATMENT of leprosy brings about better outcome.
The group of boys/male patients I am with in the picture above? I taught them football, I played volleyball with them. They have hopes and aspirations just like us.
BUT it took me some time to answer one of their questions one time:
'Maam, makapangasawa pa ni kami ayhan? May magkagusto pa ayhan sa amon kay may aro' kmi?' (Maam, do you think we can also get married? Will someone love us eventhough we have leprosy?)
That tone of their voices, made me think. It made me sad. And so I said, 'May tsansa kmu mkapangasawa ah..ayo naman kamu. Kung palangga kamu sng babae, batunon nila kamu..bsta di kmu mdulaan paglaom. Skwela kmu kung may tsansa, di pa urihi ang tnan.' I told them not to let leprosy hinder them from reaching there dreams--they shouldn't lose hope.
Life isn't fair, yes. We are all born with a purpose. We touch each others lives in one way or another. Afterall,in this one world, we are all brothers and sisters.
I have more stories to tell but what I've shared enough. Haaaay nsubuan ko manumdum. So, I'll stop--it makes me teary-eyed everytime.
#Thankful for Western Visayas Sanitarium for making our leprosy patients welcome, cared for and at home in our institution. Thank you for being a FAMILY to these patients. I do really hope and pray that more people will be aware about leprosy---that the stigma that comes with it will be vanished through education/awareness. Thank you to our doctors, nurses, the government and also to the benefactors. Keep up the good work and God bless you all for your kind hearts..
Let's call on the public’s conscience to fight indifference towards people affected by leprosy and to accord these individuals all the dignity and respect due to them.
