Hidden Lives
This podcast contains stories of people we've met during our work with The Leprosy Mission.
The Leprosy Mission Australia works with people with leprosy, other neglected tropical diseases and disabilities. They are often the most marginalised, vulnerable and hidden from the rest of society. We run health improvement projects, often in rural and remote villages where we get to meet many people who have amazing life experiences to share.
Yes, leprosy is still a thing but it doesn't have to be.
If you want to learn more, please visit: https://stillathing.org
Episodes
19 episodes
19. A little entrepreneur
Down many bumpy dirt roads and fields of wheat, a long way from the nearest town, at just 20 years old, Rupa has started a successful small business, but life has never been easy. As a child, Rupa developed a condition that made her look ...
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Episode 19
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27:40
18 - The gift of a little piglet
When Saru received a late diagnosis of leprosy, her fingers had already started to become deformed. She became very self conscious about her looks, unsure about herself and isolated herself in her home. She needed encouragement and ...
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Episode 18
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12:27
17 - When looks matter
20 year old Rubina worked on a tea plantation plucking tea leaves to earn money to contribute to her large family consisting of her mother, father and 7 siblings.When a side of her face started to swell, droop, become paralysed and her ...
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Episode 17
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12:21
16 - The power of a movie
Ubed strongly believed in the power of traditional healings. When he started to see patches on his skin and felt tingling sensations over his body, naturally, he went to see a traditional healer to ask for help to remove the evil spirit p...
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Episode 16
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13:04
15 - It takes a village to deliver a cure
17 year old Noor is from a close knit community. Several years ago, she stepped on a nail whilst playing at school. The wound never healed, growing increasingly deep and infected, causing Noor to drop out of school when the smell be...
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Episode 15
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21:30
14 - Home...is where?
'I heard that they give free food and let you stay for free at Anandaban Hospital. You should just stay there. Don’t come back home, it bothers all of us and you no longer have a place here.' This was a conversation Leprosy M...
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Episode 14
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14:05
13 - Painting to heal the hurt of leprosy
Kumar was diagnosed with leprosy when he was 5 years old. Being so young, the doctors keep him in hospital for the 2 years of his treatment. After the 2 years, unable to find his family, Kumar continued to live at the hospital.&nbs...
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Episode 13
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12:09
12 - A mother's motivation
Ayush was born through a homebirth in the comfort of his own home. At first everything was perfect, but when Ayush started crying a lot and didn't feed properly, his mother knew something was wrong.Taking him to the hospital, the fami...
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Episode 12
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13:39
11 - Scars of rejection
As a teenager, Bibek's diagnosis of leprosy left him rejected by his classmates and frequent hospital visits meant he was never able to finish year 12. 20 years later, Bibek now has a family and a successful business, but these scars ...
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Episode 11
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18:48
10 - Loss and love
Following a series of misdiagnoses that nearly bankrupted the family, Anju was finally diagnosed with leprosy. After treatment, Anju looked to be getting better, but her symptoms resurfaced and worsened. With a growing family, Anju ...
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Episode 10
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12:01
09 - Falling through the cracks
23 year old Augustino was in so much pain from swelling all over his body, but there was no available medication and the nearest hospital was a few hours away. Augustino was on medication to treat leprosy and everything was good for awhil...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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11:24
08 - A little investment goes a long way
Ermelinda felt she had nothing to offer her neighbours and friends. Her physical deformities had left her unsure of herself and afraid that she will infect others. Hence Ermelinda stayed home and built herself a life isolated from t...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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10:54
07 - The unwanted inheritance
Growing up, Mario watched his grandparents decline and eventually die from complications of leprosy. He watched when his mother and sister were also diagnosed with leprosy. Mario became convinced that the disease was passed on thro...
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Episode 2
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11:23
06 - A cool dad
53 yr old Felix has a cool hobby and he's convinced it caused him to get leprosy. What is the link between his hobby and catching leprosy?
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Episode 1
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16:17
05 - A dream to carry on
19 year old Asa has lived in a leprosy colony all her life. Whilst she does not have leprosy, both Asa's parents had leprosy, which has impacted their ability to earn money. Now, fresh out of high school, Asa's family is unable to a...
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Episode 5
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12:49
04 - Dark clouds in mental health
Niraj felt that life was going perfect. He had happily married and had a stable job. But a tragic road accident changed all this. Spiraling into depression Niraj felt that life had completed shattered. Knowledge about me...
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Episode 4
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16:57
03 - A Second Life
Bahadur was a confident budding engineering student who loved football and was the pride of his parents. Unfortunately a diagnosis of leprosy shattered his dreams and his confidence. Now, years later, Bahadur might finally get a sec...
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Episode 3
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14:11
