An endlessly inspiring model: Father Damien (1840-1889)
Jozef De Veuster, better known as Father Damien, left for Hawaii as a young Belgian missionary. Once he was there, he heard that people with leprosy were banished to the island of Molokai and abandoned to their fate. Deeply moved by their suffering, Father Damien decided to help them.
Jozef – a vocation
Chaos and despair awaited him on his arrival on the island of Molokai. There was barely any food or drinking water, people lacked proper shelter, and medical care was non-existent.
Father Damien decided to work with the people on the island to improve their living conditions. Together, they built houses, an orphanage and a school. The energetic, pragmatic and positive Father Damien was very popular with the islanders: at last there was someone who cared about them. Father Damien lived with them, and his mission to convert them evolved into a profound respect and a desire to work with them.
His actions brought Father Damien international fame. He gave people with leprosy a voice, constantly sending letters to the outside world asking for extra help in the form of materials or contributions. His approach was ground-breaking.
Father Damien today
After his death, Father Damien’s dedication was recognised worldwide. His perseverance and solidarity with the most vulnerable continue to inspire whole generations today. Damien’s sense of humour and optimism were also remarkable. For example, he wrote the following in his medical textbook:
‘A recipe for all kinds of ailments: cheerfulness, philosophy, courage, perseverance… To be blended with a hot cup of coffee and a gentle spirit.’
Dr Frans Hemerijckx (1902-1969), founder of modern leprosy control
The Flemish physician Frans Hemerijckx specialised in leprosy and is regarded as the founder of modern leprosy control. In DR Congo and elsewhere, he campaigned against the isolation of people with leprosy, as this led to stigmatisation. Dr Hemerijckx realised that people from remote areas often lacked access to a doctor. He therefore set up the mobile Clinics under the Trees project in India, in which medical workers went to the patients, rather than the other way around. This principle is still applied worldwide today.
Dr Claire Vellut (1926-2013), initiator of Damien Foundation in India
Antwerp-born Claire Vellut specialised as a leprologist. In 1954, she was invited by Dr Hemerijckx to Polambakkam in India to set up a health centre for leprosy patients and help design the mobile Clinics under the Trees project. Claire Vellut was associated with Damien Foundation for many years. In 1992, she set up Damien Foundation India Trust, the organisation’s Indian branch. She remained in India until 2012. During her time in Polambakkam, she is thought to have treated more than 31,000 patients.
Dr Armand Van Deun (1953–2023), developer of the short-course treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
Dr Armand Van Deun worked for some time as medical coordinator for Damien Foundation in Bangladesh. In collaboration with the Belgian Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, he developed a nine-month short-course treatment regimen, which significantly increased the success rate for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (80% of patients cured, compared to 50% with previous treatment regimens). The World Health Organisation officially started recommending this treatment in 2016.
