I did not find it easy to accept that I had Hansen’s disease (accepted name for leprosy in Brazil). When I told friends I had the disease, their first reaction was to take a step back—no hugs, no handshakes—some friends even told me I should not get too close to other people. I was overwhelmed with feelings of fear, and shame; I was afraid people would isolate me and I wouldn’t be able to be close to those whom I love so much. My experience with Hansen’s disease started with a small spot on my right ankle. During a period of 5 years I went to seven different dermatologists who gave different diagnoses, none of them were correct. In 1989, while working with the Pastoral Institute for Public Education in Health, I gathered together a group of women who lived on the edge of a sewer in the outskirts of Cuiaba, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. I wanted to listen to these women so that together we might find solutions to many of our health problems. The women talked about themselves and their illnesses, but none would talk about Hansen’s disease even though most of them had it. One day, one of the women, Dona Joana, looked at my feet and said, “You have the spot disease. Let’s go, I’ll take you to my doctor.” Dona accompanied me during the examination and treatment. My body did not accept the medication and I had a lot of side-effects. I thought about those people who had to take the medicine but didn’t have much to eat.