Born in the leprosy mission ALERT in Ethiopia, where my father served as a doctor, I drank water with excessive levels of fluoride in my younger years — enough to leave my teeth brown and brittle, hard on the outside, soft and fragile within. This daily reminder while brushing my teeth is one of my drivers to change the system. Providing good basic services such as safe water, decent sanitation and good hygiene secures a more dignified life with white smiles and less leprosy. After all, prevention is better than a cure (apologies Dad, for not becoming a doctor!).