There is a sense of mourning and loss in the medicine field, particularly for leprosy patients. This is due to the passing of Dr. Thomas Rea.

Getting to Know Rea

Rea war born in 1929 in Three Rivers, Mich. He attended Oberlin College and earned his medicine degree at the University of Michigan. He proceeded with his dermatology residency at University Harbor in Ann Arbor.

Rea is a dermatologist who initiated the medication for leprosy through his research. Patients with the said Thanks to his research, there are now treatments for the said disease.

According to Los Angeles Times, Rea loved books and he remembered anything he learned from school. He was a huge fan of William Robertson Davies and Kurt Vonnegut. He was also a collector of armadillo figurines.

Rea Died of Cancer

Rea passed away in his home in San Gabriel Mountains on Feb. 7. His death was reported a month after his passing.

Per Steven Rea, the physician's son, his dad battled a form of blood cancer. He was only 86 when he died. He is survived by his wife Mary, 51, two sons Andrew and Steve, and four grandchildren.

What is Leprosy?

According to the World Health Organization, leprosy is a chronic condition that arises due to the slow multiplication of bacillus. The incubation period of this disease may take up to five years and symptoms can take as long as 20 years before they show.

This disease affects the skin, nerves, upper respiratory tract's mucosa and even the eyes. However, thanks to Rea, this condition is curable.

Rea's Research for Leprosy Treatment

Rea hoped to end the suffering of patients with leprosy by giving them a chance to live in the world without a stigma. Los Angeles Times reported that he often worked closely with patients outside of his laboratory and even taught them to learn how to function normally from day-to-day.

"He'd come straight in and shake their hands, no gloves on, and it would empower them to realize that they could get better," said Dr. David Peng.

Rea worked with Dr. Robert Modlin to learn the role of the immune system regarding the symptoms of Hansen's disease, which include skin lesions and growth. Health experts suspect that the immune system has an association with the condition, but it was never proven.

Rea's work was a continuous blessing to patients with leprosy because it opened doors for them to receive treatment that not only made the condition non-contagious but allowed them to live normal lives.

"It was huge," Peng said of Rea's achievement. He explained that the disease used to be untreatable, but with Rea's research, it became "entirely controllable."