Lepra-Tuberkulosehilfe Dinslaken

39th Leprosy March – Proceeds

Why Bombay, India?

On a global scale, Bombay still has a leading position regarding the number of new Leprosy cases detected each year. The Bombay Leprosy Project (BLP) can only proceed its work with our support.

It is the only centre providing competent leprologists and treatment is free.

There are also 20 hospitals in Bombay, however without specialists and treatment must be covered by patients.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,

Dear Friends of the leprosy people,

We have been dealing with people living on the edge of society for almost 40 years.

They are abandoned, often out-cast. They completely depend on their fellow humans who walk past them indifferently.

Their helplessness touches me profoundly!

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Proceeds of the 2018 Leprosy March are intended for Karakalpakstan, a small country on the Aral Sea with a population of 2 million people.

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To our great pleasure, the 38th leprosy march was organised and carried out together with the protestant Christians. As in the previous years, we had guests from our projects: Professor Gulsum Askarova, Dermato-Venereologist from Almaty, 230 km off the Chinese border, accompanied by her daughter from Copenhagen, Denmark. Dr. Azizullo Qosimov, Chief Leprologist and Dermato-Venereologist in Tajikistan (on the Afghan border) accompanied by his wife who is also a medic. Again, the march started from different parishes to the central point where Pastor Barthel Kalscheuer and Father van Eynern welcomed us. We then continued our march accompanied by a music group to the central point of the town where a drummers ‘group took over the musical programme. The Deputy Mayor of the town, Mr Thomas Groß, welcomed us. Carrying banners, we then proceeded our march to the Johanna House where the current projects were presented over coffee and cake. 

 

The Leprosy March took place as an ecumenical march for the 3rd time. It was a great pleasure for all of us. Here again, it was our aim to raise awareness that nowadays thousands of people worldwide are outcast and despised when they are obviously mutilated and crippled due to an bacterial disease – Leprosy. Leprosy has been curable for 30 years.  The town of Dinslaken is fully committed to helping these people – the poorest of the poor.

Our international guests were: Dr. Galina Gieda (Tuberculosis Clinic Grodno, Belarus),

Zamira Nuraddinova, Director of Leprosy Work in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan,

Dr.Moldagali Seitaliev, Head of Leprosy Work in Kazakhstan and his wife who is a TB physician on the Aral Sea.

The 36^th Leprosy March took place on September 24, 2016. The donations were used to support the Bombay Leprosy Project, which has been a Leprosy Project of our town since 2012.

Bombay is the world's city that has been affected by leprosy in the cruellest way. People suffering from this epidemic live in unimaginable poverty.

During my last stay there in March 2016, I discovered a few new cases every day, not only in the slums, but also in the urban out-clinics.

With the new treatment of Leprosy we protect those affected from the long-term effects caused by  this epidemic and at the same time we interrupt the chain of further infections.

In recent years, approximately 250,000 new leprosy patients have been discovered worldwide each year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of undetected cases is estimated to be approximately the same.

This fact motivates us in Dinslaken for further intensive assistance.

This year's guests will be:

• Ms. Tina Kituashvili, Associate Professor of Tbilisi State University and Tvildiani MedicalUniversity. Director in the field of science and training at the R / S National Center of Dermatology and Venereology
• Father James Puthuparampil OIC, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

The 35^th Leprosy March took place on September 26, 2015.

Starting from different points of the town, the participants – children, young adults and adults – carried banners through the streets and finally met at the Johanna House. A group of drummers added to the general good mood.

There were  appr. 150 participants, including guests from our project in Azerbaijan.

The many interested people were informed about the current state of Leprosy Work over coffee, cake, ice-cream and music. The money donated was used to help leprosy patients in Bombay, India.

The donations helped us to finance the bridge project “Border Area Tajikistan/Afghanistan“.

Leprosy occurs from generation to generation in the high Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Afghanistan suffers from a very poor healthcare system due to decades of war, which results in refugees pouring into the border area from this highly contaminated country. Since leprosy aid has come exclusively from the Town of Dinslaken for 16 years, our town is a bearer of hope and of utmost importance for the people in Tajikistan.

We must not let these people down!

Following the World Leprosy Congress in Brussels, Belgium, 12 leprologists from Europe, Asia and South America were our guests and were welcome at the town hall by the Mayer Dr. Heidinger. They took this opportunity to express their gratitude for the continuous help they received from the Town of Dinslaken.

The pastor himself is very committed to supporting our Leprosy Work. Every year, leprosy marches are organised. The financial results of these marches have become the basis of donations. Over the years, neighbouring parishes have taken up the idea to help leprosy patients by joining the leprosy march

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Organisation of Leprosy Marches

Participants use this list to ask acquaintances, relatives or even external people to donate money for the leprosy patients of the project. The general public as well as the daily press are also fully informed.
Donors write down their name as well as the amount of money donated.
School children and young collectors and participants of the Leprosy Marches are eager to collect as many donations as possible for a good cause.
The aim of Leprosy Marches is for participants and donors to feel a strong sense of solidarity with leprosy patients – which is clearly reflected in their efforts of this 10-kilometre march.

Visitors of the parish celebration in 2007 were also informed about leprosy work.

Theo van Doornik is the “new“ pastor of the parish St. Vincentius Dinslaken.
From June 2007 on he took care of organising our Leprosy Marches ….. and much more!

He achieved so much:

1. Leprosy patients in Kyrgyzstan were suddenly without a physician to look after them. The situation was critical since leprosy – the dangerous disease – would get out of control. Pastor van Doornik from Dinslaken, however, knew what to do. Through a contact with a well-known German physician in Kyrgyzstan the Government in Bistek appointed a young and energetic physician for leprosy work. Thanks to the donations from Dinslaken the physician could receive a special training programme in Astrakhan, Russia.
2. A continuous contact of leprologists with each other and the town of Dinslaken is indispensable for effective leprosy work. Since telephone charges were much too high, a Skype connection was installed with the most important leprosy centres in 2008.

The children were very happy. “We help leprosy patients by contributing our efforts.” They collected the impressive amount of 10,521 €. Each participant received an unusual gift : a bible picture of Jesus Christ and a leprous patient.

September 2010 – 30^th Leprosy March

All the citizens of Dinslaken were invited. About 120 children and adults were carrying banners while marching through the town centre. Representatives of Kazakhstan, Russia and Tajikistan were also present. We thoroughly discussed what we had achieved so far as well as our plans for the future. Our guiding principle has not changed: “I am not what I have – I am what I have given” (Raoul Follereau)

September 2011 – 31^st Leprosy March

Children and adults from Dinslaken set off for the 31^st time to inform the citizens  about the impending Leprosy March. Flyers were distributed.  This year’s theme was “We help leprosy patients in Kazakhstan“.

Therefore, the Director of the German-Kazakh Society Berlin and her assistant came to Dinslaken.
Carrying many banners, we walked around the city centre to get the attention of passers-by. The Mayor of Dinslaken, Dr.  Heidinger, and the Deputy Mayor, Mr Gross, carried a banner saying “Stop Leprosy“ through the pedestrian zone.
The children who had participated were treated to some ice cream. After that, delicious Kazakh specialities were served in Johanna House while our guests from Berlin gave a presentation about Kazakhstan. The question ”What have people from Dinslaken achieved for leprosy patients in Kazakhstan so far?“ was the topic of another presentation.

All the participants of the Leprosy March enjoyed themselves very much!

September 2012 – 32^nd Leprosy March

The 32nd Leprosy March took place on September 29, 2012 to express our readiness to help seriously ill and poor people worldwide. We care for those who are outcast, despised and not wanted. We protect those who are confronted with disgust and fear. Every single human being is unique.

We respect every single human being regardless of their nationality or religion.

This year, the Leprosy March takes place from different starting points as a reflection of the merged parishes and at the same time as a reflection of the Leprosy and Tuberculosis work in Dinslaken.