Boston (At the Boston Night Center, Toni Abraham, a nurse practitioner from the Boston Health Care for the Homeless program, supervises while nurse Jack Castro and Mark Lepore, a student from Boston University Medical School, bandage the badly infected foot of a homeless man. Often, homeless people will first present themselves to health personnel when they have serious problems with their feet. Swelling of the feet and legs, cellulitis, and skin ulcerations are common among people living on the street. Inadequate opportunities to bathe, ill-fitting and wet shoes, and exposure to the elements all contribute to medical problems. "When your feet don't work, you can’t do the things that you need to do," says one.) 1999

Betsy Karel's black and white photograph captures a poignant scene at the Boston Night Center. It shows Toni Abraham, a nurse practitioner, overseeing the care of a homeless man's infected foot by nurse Jack Castro and medical student Mark Lepore. Karel's lens directs our attention to the often-overlooked realities of homelessness and healthcare disparities. The photograph's emotional weight stems from its raw depiction of vulnerability and care. The act of bandaging transcends a mere medical procedure. It becomes a profound gesture of human dignity and connection. The details – ill-fitting shoes, swelling, and skin ulcerations – tell a story of life on the streets. The quote included with the image, "When your feet don't work, you can’t do the things that you need to do," underscores the fundamental importance of foot health and its impact on one's ability to navigate the world. Karel's work prompts us to reflect on the social structures that perpetuate homelessness and the simple, yet powerful, act of extending compassion.