A beacon of integrity and doctor par excellence

Prof. James Randunna Corea

It is with great sadness that I write this appreciation about a person who has had a profound influence on my life. It was only three weeks ago that I received an e-mail from Professor James Randunna Corea, and I never thought it would be the last from him.

I first met Prof. Corea in 1995, at a time when I had almost completely lost confidence in the medical profession. Prof. Corea was a very different doctor, in a league of his own. I was one of his first patients, and from our first meeting we had a great doctor-patient relationship. I recognised right away that he was a very special doctor with very rare qualities. He was prepared to listen to a 16-year-old who was struggling with life’s challenges, both physically and psychologically. Prof. Corea’s surgical skills were outstanding, and his kind nature and humane qualities were an encouragement to those who consulted him. His corrective surgery enabled me to walk properly again, something I did not think would be possible after a few unsuccessful previous surgeries. He helped me to face life. He was one of a handful of people who believed in me at a time when I did not believe in myself. Words cannot convey the admiration and gratitude I have for him.

Sri Lanka will remember him as an exemplary orthopedic surgeon who transformed so many lives. He was a beacon of integrity and doctor par excellence. It is to be hoped that others in the medical profession will be inspired by his fine example.

I still find it hard to believe that Prof. Corea is no more, but his memory will always remain impressed in my mind, and in the minds of many others.

I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife and children in their hour of grief. He was truly a great man. May his soul rest in peace.

By Primal Aubert Fernando