About 500,000 people in the UK have recurrent leg ulcers.

Not only are ulcers uncomfortable, sometimes painful and always annoying, they often prevent patients from leading a normal work or social life. Furthermore when family, friends and other carers are included, this horrible condition affects millions of people every year in the UK.

How sad it is to find out that the majority of these leg ulcers could be cured. Not "healed" by dressings and bandages that only temporarily get rid of the ulcers for them to come back again. But cured for good.

Over the last 20 years, research has led us to improved understanding of leg ulcers and what causes them - and more importantly how to cure them. Using this research, it is now possible to permanently cure most leg ulcers, totally changing patients lives as well as the lives of their family and friends.

For many reasons, the vast majority of patients are not ever given the opportunity of a cure, despite the cure being cheaper than continual dressings and bandaging.

If patients with leg ulcers are properly investigated and treated, the majority should be permanently cured. If healthcare professionals are not going to offer this, patients and their advocates need to know what to ask for.

The Leg Ulcer Charity has been set up to empower patients, their families and their carers to understand their condition and to know what to ask for to get a cure if possible - and if not, to find out why not.