Shedding light on life after leprosy

Volunteers provide solace to former patients, work to reduce stigma associated with disease

Leprosy, though curable using modern medication, has cast a long shadow over China. Thousands of former patients have been left disfigured by the disease, while enduring social stigma means hundreds still live in colonies, isolated from the rest of society.

Tao Ruqin, a student at the Hunan University of Commerce in Changsha, Hunan province, has spent much of her spare time over the past two years volunteering in these colonies.