A bond that blossomed for the benefit of many
He came from the nearby Home for the Aged and quietly handed over Rs. 5,000, not once but twice. These were monies he had put by from the donations people had pressed into his hands when they visited the home.
All these small and large donations have gone to making the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital’s Oncology (Cancer) Unit, opened in 2011, what it is today — comfortable and cozy for patients, the floor tiled and the building well-furnished.
The improvements and developments have become a reality through a strong partnership between the Wayamba Cancer Society Limited and the unit, making it ‘a home away from home’ for patients.
The latest donation to the unit is the Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) machine, through the good offices of the society.
The society has been the unit’s ‘friend and supporter’ throughout, lending a helping hand in both cash and kind. The beneficiaries are the patients from far and wide, accessing the unit’s specialist doctors, other healthcare personnel and state-of-the-art facilities in the clinics and the three wards. Patients from the surroundings of Kurunegala as well as other areas including the northeast seek treatment here and the clinic has on its register nearly 300.
Personal contacts, persuasion and the example of the members of the society themselves have made the difference.
How did this bond between Kurunegala’s Cancer Unit and the Wayamba Cancer Society come about, blossoming and bearing rich fruit and succour for the men and women living with cancer in the region?
It started off as a simple request from two doctors to a respected retired public servant, heavily into social work in the area.
Kurunegala Teaching Hospital’s Oncology (Cancer) Unit: A home away from home for the patients and left: It’s kola-kenda time. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
“We need help,” appealed then Consultant Onco-Surgeons Dr. Priyantha Madawala and Dr. Harsha Perera, to a long-time public servant, D.M.T.B. Dasanayake whose last post had been Advisor to the Consumer Affairs Authority.
The surgeons were facing many challenges in 2011 due to the lack of equipment and Mr. Dasanayake took a deep, hard look at the situation and came to the conclusion that this was a worthy cause.
The networking, with Mr. Dasanayake as the centre-point began then. Having been a government servant of standing, many were his friends and he approached 25 at the outset, some retired like himself and others businessmen, all known for the social work they were carrying out in the community.
“The 25 of us got-together at the outset with the motto ‘Build trust and heal the mind’ and drew up a priority list,” says Mr. Dasanayake, pointing out that the society has now grown to 172 members.
Smilingly, he says that they are a 100% non-political society and do not depend on any politician, whatever the hue and affiliation.
The first challenge for the society, of course, was finances. Set up on January 1, 2012, by March it had been able to launch the Wayamba Cancer Fund for the initial target was the collection of Rs. 1.5 million. The 25 members dug deep into their pockets, pulling out personal funds to meet this need.
Seeing those at the helm of this charity, walking the talk, the funds did flow in……with people giving generously thereafter.
Society President: D.M.T.B. Dasanayake
Citing some of the contributions, Mr. Dasanayake says Trendy Garments owner Ms. Ramya Weerakoon donated a chemotherapy safety cabinet costing Rs. 3.5 million to store the stocks. On seeing the urgent need for an operating theatre, as the Cancer Surgeons only got the main theatre once a week, the same generous donor had channelled another Rs. 3.5 million to establish a state-of-the-art mini-theatre to aid the numerous patients who had to undergo urgent surgery.
Sophisticated equipment, meanwhile, for the mini-theatre had been donated by a former Visakhian now living in Los Angeles, America.
Next, the society had turned its benevolent focus towards improving the wards as well as the toilets. The members did not leave out even the minutest of detail – with donors providing bed sheets and mosquito-nets to each and every bed and a refrigerator for each ward.
“Whenever there is a short-supply of cancer medications, we turn to the society and it is always ready and willing to help the patients,” say the doctors.
Another urgent need was iodine treatment, as it was available only at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital and the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital for which the Kurunegala patients had to travel long distances and also be on waiting lists for nearly three years. Mere frustration and lack of money, made these patients ignore their dire need causing much illness.
To the fore came the society, spreading the word around about the need and an iodine unit costing Rs. 20 million had been provided by Serendipol (Pvt) Ltd., of Kuliyapitiya and commissioned in 2017.
The society’s fund-raising has included walks not only to collect money but also to create awareness.
Just a few Sundays ago, the family of a teacher had donated Rs. 500,000 on her death anniversary, while another group gifted an X-ray illuminator machine as well as a set of chairs.
With hopes held high and plans on the table, the society is now setting about completing a two-storey building. The ground floor has already been built with MAS Holdings donating Rs. 4 million and the society Rs. 4.6 million; the first floor being funded with Rs. 6.5 million by the Chairman of Central Bearings, Colombo, Sudath Tennekoon and the second floor with Rs. 10 million as well as the HIPEC machine by the Director of Serendipol, Gordon Silva.
Single or groups of donors, they are well aware that every cent they provide goes to the cancer unit, says Mr. Dasanayake, adding that the society’s members work on a 100% voluntary basis and there are no administrative costs involved.
It is also not just about collecting funds, but the society gives of their time by providing kola-kenda, short-eats and also a ready ear to all those who attend the clinic along with their relatives.