When you first meet Alina she seems just like any other 13-year-old girl, but her hands tell a different story.

She developed signs of leprosy at 10 years old, but was not given the correct treatment. This meant that she was not cured of the disease and that it began to affect her more severely, leading to clawed hands. The lack of sensation in her hands had led to Alina accidentally burning herself, causing infection and permanently damaged fingers.

Leprosy had also started to affect Alina’s eyes, putting her at risk of blindness as she became unable to blink away dust and dirt.

But her greatest pain, we found out, comes from being abandoned by her father. He left the family as soon as he found out she had leprosy and has not returned. Her mother works abroad and so Alina is cared for by her grandparents, the only other family she has.

Alina’s story of being rejected by someone so close to her is not unusual. There is a lot of stigma surrounding leprosy in Nepal and deep-seated fear of the disease means that so many patients at Anandaban Hospital, where Alina is receiving treatment, have had similar experiences.

The cure for leprosy, surgery and physiotherapy can provide physical healing and thanks to you, Alina has received the treatment she needs at Anandaban, undergoing surgery on her hands and eyes. But what’s just as important for people like Alina is experiencing emotional healing. While at the hospital, she has received loving care and support that has deeply touched her.

The staff there told us that Alina reminds them of a lotus flower. The flowers, native to Nepal, grow out of muddy waters, rising above the surface to bloom. Alina is determined to thrive, thanks to your generosity and the staff at Anandaban. Since the earthquake in Nepal, in 2015, patient numbers at the hospital have doubled to 40,000 a year, meaning that they are incredibly busy. But their passion for transforming lives remains.

“It is a real joy to see the happiness in the faces of leprosy patients after surgery,” said Dr Indra Napit, Medical Director.

There are many more people just like Alina who need help today. In 2017 there were more than 3,000 new cases of leprosy diagnosed in Nepal. At Anandaban, the country’s flagship leprosy hospital, people have the chance of regaining their mobility, freedom and dignity – and you have an amazing opportunity to help them.

Thanks to UK Aid Match, the UK government is doubling your gifts made to our Heal Nepal campaign before 27 April 2019. So a gift from you of £10 means that £20 will go towards helping to find, cure and heal people like Alina.

This is a rare opportunity to make a huge difference to people affected by leprosy. Every gift from you will mean that more people can look forward to a more positive future thanks to dedicated staff at Anandaban Hospital.