QONCE, EASTERN CAPE - Human Rights Day is an occasion for South Africans from all walks of life to appreciate living in a free society without prejudice.
Unfortunately, some people don't feel they have any cause for celebration.
In the Eastern Cape, former patients believe their rights to healthcare have been infringed upon.
At the tender age of 13, Qhayiya Gqola who should be out with friends on a public holiday, is on a wheelchair and cannot walk.
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Last year in July, bad luck struck. She had complained about pain in her wisdom teeth and, after a visit to Grey Hospital, where teeth were removed, her life would change forever.
The Teen dreams of being a model one day. But her family fears that her hopes of walking on the runway may be shattered if she doesn't get the necessary help soon.
In another sad tale, a 35-year-old man from Qonce is unable to sit. Yamkela Matilo lost his job in 2015, after suffering a rare condition that led to sores on his buttocks, and a bad smell that forces him to wash numerous times a day.
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The stench is so embarrassing that he chooses to stay indoors. He says he's gone from pillar to post, crying for help at health facilities all over the province. But doctors don't know how to treat his symptoms.
The heartache of seeing a loved one in agony is also taking a toll on families, who continue to be pillars of strength for the sufferers.