Due to the numbness, she unknowingly injured her foot which developed into a painful ulcer.
It was whilst she was accompanying her husband to a healthcare appointment that staff noticed her skin and suspected leprosy. When a doctor first told Bizly she had leprosy, she was frightened but he reassured her that the disease was curable. After a 12-month course of multidrug therapy (MDT), the white patches began to disappear, and her skin sensation improved.
Bizly joined a self-support group where she learned self-care techniques to manage her symptoms and was given custom-made protective footwear to help heal her ulcer and prevent further injuries. By meeting other people affected by leprosy and hearing their experiences, Bizly was inspired to become a ‘Mental Motivator’, helping to provide reliable health information and support to her wider community. Enquiring door-to-door, she helps locate people with symptoms and encourages them to attend the clinic for diagnostic support. With Bizly’s help, detection rates locally have greatly increased:
“I’ve referred almost 300 people for check-ups, 150 of which have been confirmed cases of leprosy. I’ve distributed leaflets all over Bogura. In shops, and house-to-house. I’ve helped create social awareness about leprosy. I’ll go out, and if I see people gathering, I’ll inform them.”
But Bizly’s support goes beyond the diagnosis, with specialist training she helps people overcome the emotional impact of leprosy with mental health first aid.
“When a person affected told me they were struggling with their mental health, I referred them for counselling and gave them ongoing emotional support, which has helped them come to terms with their diagnosis and given them hope.”
More recently, Bizly has joined the Bogura Federation of People affected by Leprosy, working alongside the inspirational Taslima (featured in our 2023 summer edition of Lepra News).
Her human approach to community engagement has helped countless people hear the message, that leprosy is curable, and need not be feared any longer.