Who We Are

The Pim sisters of Monkstown, Co. Dublin, inspired the Irish commitment of serving people affected by leprosy. Their first charitable gift of £30, in the mid 1870’s, has multiplied into millions of lives restored.

Wellesley Bailey was a man of vision, faith and compassion. His very first encounter with men and women affected by leprosy shattered him.

Long before the cure was discovered, Wellesley saw beyond the disease to the person hiding behind dreadful disability.

It was Christian compassion that first inspired our founder, Wellesley Bailey in 1874. Today, we continue to celebrate the Christian values and principles that define and shape our work: honour, dignity, justice and inclusion. In living out these principles, we strive to be honest, open and transparent.

We deliver our service without question of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, philosophy, worldview or any other classification that others often use to divide and segregate. The bedrock of our approach is the Christian understanding of the equal value of every human being.

Our History


The timeline is an excellent graphic reminder of the rich heritage of the Mission. 

Founded in 1894 in Dublin, Ireland, we are old! From the very start we have focused on people, men, women and children affected by leprosy. We help the poorest of the poor, reaching our hand to those who are isolated, devastated and disabled by leprosy. We care for those with leprosy, walking alongside while they are treated. Our prayer is that they will be transformed and renewed, living in dignity and hope. 

Our story begins with the passion of one man: Wellesley Bailey. He felt compelled to serve the poorest of the poor in our world. The Mission continues in the spirit of this passion and continues to serve those afflicted with leprosy. However, our mission has grown and changed as technology and knowledge of leprosy has changed. In 1982 the cure for leprosy was identified. This is the first building block in working towards complete eradication. 

  • 1860's & 1870's

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    • 1869

      A LIFELONG JOURNEY BEGINS

      Wellesley Bailey, a young Irishman, sets sail for India intending to join the police force. On arrival he decides instead to become a teacher. During his training with an American mission organization he sees for the first time the devastating effects of leprosy. 

    • 1873

      SCIENTIFIC TRUTH REVEALED

      Dr. Armauer Hansen, a Norwegian physician, identified the Mycobacterium leprae – the bacteria that cause leprosy. This discovery was history-changing. For the first time, there was scientific evidence that leprosy was caused by bacteria and not past sins or a curse of the gods.

    • 1873

      LIVES CHANGED

      Wellesley and his wife, Alice, return to Ireland from India, heavy with the thoughts of the suffering they have seen – people with leprosy who are severely disabled, rejected and without any means of support. Wellesley and Alice are determined to raise awareness of leprosy and its damaging consequences. 

    • 1873

      SHARING THE BURDEN

      They begin a speaking ministry, telling people about the needs of the leprosy patients they have met.

    • 1874

      RAISING SUPPORT 

      “The Mission to Lepers in India” was formally established.

      In response to the talks given by the Baileys, people begin giving money and praying for the work. By the late 1870s the Mission is raising £900 a year and caring for 100 leprosy-affected people in North India.

      Throughout the rest of the 1870s and into the next two decades, the Baileys travel extensively to see the needs of people affected by leprosy and to encourage support for the Mission.

  • 1880

    FIRST MISSION HOSPITAL 

    Three support offices are formed in England; Mary Reed is sent to India as the Mission’s first missionary; Purulia Leprosy Hospital in West Bengal opens with support from the Mission.

  • 1890

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    • 1890

      INDIA AND BEYOND

      The Mission’s first public meeting is held in London – the money raised helps to build a leprosy home and children’s home in Neyyor in South India. Wellesley Bailey visits Mandalay, Burma, to open the first ‘Mission to Lepers’ home outside India.

    • 1892

      PARTNERS IN THE WEST 

      Mr. and Mrs. Watt of Guelph, Ontario, opened their home to Wellesley Bailey. This initial encounter with The Mission inspired Canadians to come alongside as the first North American supporters.

    • 1893

      FOCUS ON INDIA 

      The Executive Committee of the National Leprosy Fund estimated that there were 250,000 people affected by leprosy in India which was just over 1.2% of the population at that time.

    • 1897

      ISOLATION IS ACCEPTED 

      The first World Leprosy Conference meeting was held in Berlin. A policy was written and approved that endorsed strict isolation for people affected by leprosy in the ‘non-Western’ world.

    • 1898

      SEGREGATION CONTINUES 

      The British Colonial government enacted the ‘Lepers Act of 1898’ which mandated the medical and social segregation of leprosy sufferers in India.

  • 1910

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    • 1910s

      INTO AFRICA 

      Work begins in Africa. Income to and interest in the Mission’s work steadily increases throughout the decade. Bailey and his wife travel to China, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and India, visiting projects, raising awareness of leprosy and asking for support. 

    • 1917

      ANDERSON SUCCEEDS BAILEY 

      Bailey retires and the Mission has 87 programmes in 12 countries with support offices in eight countries. The annual income has risen from £5,000 to £40,000. William Anderson succeeds Bailey as secretary of the Mission.

  • 1920-1930

    ERADICATING LEPROSY 

    A new treatment for leprosy becomes available; a few people are cured. The Mission’s headquarters move from Dublin to London. Under Anderson’s leadership the Mission adds to its vision statement: “to aid in the attempt to eradicate leprosy.” A new leprosy hospital is opened in Faizabad, India.

  • 1940

    BREAK-THROUGHS, FIRST KNOWN TREATMENT

    Promin becomes the first known treatment against leprosy.

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    • 1939-45

      CHAOS OF WWII

      From 1939-45 much of the Mission’s work is affected by the Second World War, particularly in China, Japan and Burma. Many patients are dispersed and hospitals overrun.

    • 1940s

      TREATMENT AND SURGERY

      The first effective cure for leprosy, Dapsone, is introduced. Over the next 15 years millions of patients are successfully treated. William Anderson retires and Donald Miller becomes the new superintendent of the Mission. Dr Paul Brand, a surgeon, and colleagues at Karigiri, South India, pioneer life-changing reconstructive surgery to correct leprosy-related disabilities.

  • 1950

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    • 1950

      NEW LIFE CENTRE 

      With a donation from a missionary woman, Dr Paul Brand establishes the New Life Centre, Vellore, as a model rehabilitation center for Hansen’s disease patients. 

    • 1954

      RESEARCH IN IRELAND 

      Clofazimine was first synthesized by a team with the scientists J.G. Belton, M.L. Conalty, Seán O’Sullivan and Dermot Twomey led by Dr Vincent Barry, from Sunday’s Well in Cork at Trinity College, Dublin as an anti-tuberculosis drug.  

    • 1954

      WORLD LEPROSY DAY 

      Founded by Raoul Follereau, a French writer, to make sure that people everywhere know that leprosy, one of the most feared and stigmatised diseases known to man, still exists and is completely curable. WLD is celebrated annually on the last Sunday of January.

    • 1950's

      BREAKTHROUGHS IN SURGERY 

      Mission surgeon Dr. Paul Brand pioneered surgical solutions to claw hand and foot drop - two side effects from leprosy which  result in severe disability. His wife, Dr. Margaret Brand, poured her energies into caring for patients whose eyes were affected by leprosy.

    • 1957

      HEALING STARTS IN NEPAL 

      Wilfred Russell, the new superintendent of the Mission, visits Korea and agrees to support a new hospital there. A Mission hospital is opened in Anandaban, Nepal. Work extends into Bhutan.

  • 1960

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    • 1961

      A ROYAL HONOUR 

      Queen Elizabeth honours Dr. Paul Brand with the title of the Commander of the Order of the British Empire. 

    • 1962

      OUR NAME CHANGES 

      To take away the stigma of the disease and the tendency to brand people as lepers, The Mission to Lepers changed its name to The Leprosy Mission. 

    • 1966

      DR. BRAND CHAMPIONS THE CAUSE 

      Dr. Paul Brand accepts the position of Chief of Rehabilitation at the National Hansen’s Disease Center at Carville, Louisiana.

  • 1970

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    • 1974

      100TH ANNIVERSARY 

      TLM’s centenary year. By this time, alongside its work in Asia, TLM is working in nearly 40 locations in 14 countries across Africa. 

    • 1975

      DR. BARRY DIES 

      Irishman, Vincent Barry, who discovered the effectiveness of clofazimine in treating leprosy, dies.

  • 1980

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    • 1982

      A CURE FOR LEPROSY 

      Major breakthrough! Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) was discovered to cure leprosy. Since its introduction some 15 million people have been cured.

    • 1986

      DR. BRAND RETIRES 

      Dr. Paul Brand retires from medical profession.

    • 1989

      A ROYAL VISIT 

      HRH The Princess of Wales visits the patients at a leprosy clinic in Indonesia.

  • 1990

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    • 1992

      THE PRINCESS IN INDIA

      HRH The Princess of Wales visits India, including Mother Teresa’s Hospice for the Sick and Dying, Kolkata. 

    • 1993

      A NEW PRESIDENT

      Dr. Paul Brand becomes President of the Leprosy Mission International and holds this title until 1999.

  • 2000


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    • 2003

      TOO MANY STILL SUFFER 

      About 4 million people live with the permanent effects of leprosy.

  • 2010

    THE UN STANDS WITH US 

    The Advisory Committee of the UN Human Rights Council adopted principles and guidelines for “elimination of discrimination against person affected by leprosy and their family members”, protecting those living with leprosy.

  • Future

    A WORLD WITHOUT LEPROSY 

    Through continued support of Leprosy Mission partners in Ireland and around the world, we hope to one day report the complete elimination of this horrific disease.