I’m Nakawooya Janat, and I want to share my journey with lymphedema. It all began in 2018 when I started feeling sharp, needle-like pains around my right ankle. Every step I took felt like a piercing sensation in my foot. I rushed to the hospital, hoping for answers.

Desperate for relief, I sought help from a herbalist who claimed my condition was witchcraft. They put cuttings on my leg, but instead of getting better, my skin changed drastically. I developed big blisters, my right leg felt unbearably hot, and the skin started peeling off. To make matters worse, I lost all my toenails.

My family became frustrated with the lack of improvement, and when I visited the hospital, the news was devastating. The doctors diagnosed me with skin cancer. I began chemotherapy, but the sharp pains persisted. Eventually, the doctors dismissed my case, unable to provide further help.

As my condition worsened, I had to close my small restaurant business. People began stigmatizing me, calling me names like “HIV patient” and “kigulu,” convinced I was bewitched.

But amidst the darkness, there was a glimmer of hope. Bandaging became my lifeline. It helped relieve the swelling, tightness, heat, and pain in my leg. It was a small comfort in a sea of challenges.

Today, I continue to fight against the stigma and misinformation surrounding lymphedema. Through proper treatment and support, I’m learning to navigate life with this condition, one step at a time.