Unlike other boys he can’t run around
The father and son are in Colombo in a desperate bid for survival, while the mother and other two sons are eking out a living in remote Pallebage off Deraniyagala, wracked by worry. Hugging his 14-year-old son tightly, P.K. Kulatunga is close to tears as he pleads for help, to save Lakshan Udara’s life.
Battle to survive: Lakshan with his father. Pic by Anuradha Bandara
Even earlier, life had been a struggle for this family of five but they toiled on, managing with the wages that 46-year-old Kulatunga brought home at the end of the month after working as a minor employee of the medicinal stores of the National Hospital in Colombo.
Their world turned topsy-turvy, however, about six years ago, when their middle son, Lakshan fell ill.“The fever persisted, as also the cough and the cold and the feeling of constant tiredness for Lakshan,” says Kulatunga, adding that whenever Lakshan, who is very mischievous just like any other boy of his age, runs around, he gets a chest pain.
It was a blood test in 2009 which sent the family reeling – Lakshan was a victim of Fanconi anaemia, an inherited disease, for which the only answer is a bone marrow transplant. Fanconi’s anaemia, is a rare inherited blood disorder which involves the bone marrow and causes a reduction in all types of blood-cell production. These include white and red blood cells as well as platelets all of which are vital to lead a healthy life. Children with this disease are more likely to develop cancers such as Leukaemia, doctors say.
The challenges have been innumerable since then. Although bone marrow transplants have been started in private hospitals for children suffering from Thalassaemia, Lakshan would have to seek treatment in India for his disease. A consolation for the family is that Lakshan’s elder brother, 17-year-old Lahiru Udara’s bone marrow is a ‘match’ for him.
As the disease progressed, Kulatunga was able to take Lakshan for assessment to the Apollo Hospital in Chennai, India, in early May. This was made possible by those under whom he is working passing the hat around. The need now is urgent and Kulatunge has been struggling with the thought of selling the dushkara idama (remote land) on which he has built his house with much difficulty. “It is not valuable land because to get access to it we have to walk about five km from Kitulgala as there is no bus. Otherwise, we need to take the bus to Pallebage South and walk about one km even for there, he says.
The father’s hair is turning grey with worry as he has to restrain Lakshan from injuring himself whenever they are allowed to go home. Kulatunga has a hard time trying to stop Lakshan from climbing trees, cycling, bathing in the ela flowing close to their home or simply running around.
“Wetunoth evarai,” he says, explaining that if his son has a fall he would be in serious trouble. He also has to be protected from infections, even very mild ones, as he awaits the vital bone marrow transplant which will give Lakshan a new lease of life.
| They are desperate for your help Time is running out for Lakshan and his father, Kulatunga, pleads with all those generous people out there, to help save him from certain death. The family needs Rs. 5 million to take Lakshan and his elder brother to Chennai for the bone marrow transplantat. All those kind-hearted Sri Lankans who wish to help Lakshan, may send in their contributions to Savings Account No. 77123252 at the Bank of Ceylon, Regent Street branch, in the name of P.K. Kulatunga (father). | |