“I cannot do basic human things like eat food, drink water, or even take a bath without pain. I cannot continue living like this. Sometimes, I feel like if I'm not meant to live a normal life, I'd rather not be alive. That is better than this.” - 46-year-old Kushadhwaj Singh
"I can barely even see myself in the mirror. This thing on my face - it hurts a lot. But more than the enduring the pain, I hate how small it makes me feel. Even other people snub me just because of the way I look." - Kushadhwaj
Most of all, I hate that I have only become a burden to my mother, who is forced to manage our household and take care of my needs, all by herself." - Kushadhwaj
"I should have been a pillar of support for my mother at her age, but instead, I am having to rely on her completely." - Kushadhwaj
"I tried doing everything in my capacity to be independent - even opened a shop in my village - but people refuse to come near me. They hate me and this prohibits me from walking around the village. Children are also scared of me." - Kushadhwaj
It's just my son and I now, and he's my only family. I beg for a living so I can at least feed my child. It makes me feel terrible, knowing that he thinks of himself as a burden. But if a mother won't take care of her child, who will?" - Saraswati, mother
"There is still hope for me. Doctors have told me that with surgery I can live the life I have always longed for." – Kushadhwaj
“We don't even have clothes to wear. We cannot afford food on the daily either. How will we afford the treatment costs? I worry about who will take care of him after I pass away. He will not be able to survive at all." – Saraswati
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