Born out of a young mother’s courage, this Trust reaches out in many ways
Plaits for a cause. Pic by Priyantha Wickramaarachchi
Indira Jayasuriya was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. However, being the fighter she was, she recovered after a series of chemotherapy sessions. Her cancer resurfaced during her second pregnancy, and determined to survive for the sake of her children, she delayed her treatment until her son was born. Sadly, she passed away in 2016.
Throughout her illness, Indira kept a smile on her face. Widely reported in the media, the story of her battle with cancer reached other patients and gave them the courage to keep fighting.
Indira’s story and all that her family underwent, led to the idea of supporting cancer patients and their families. The Indira Cancer Trust (ICT) was established in 2016 by Indira’s father Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, and today oversees nearly 27 major projects. This includes the Mobile Mammography and Breast Prosthesis Projects, livelihood development programmes, counselling, funeral support, Wig Making for A Cause, and more.
Of all the programmes that ICT conducts, the wig making project launched in July 2017 is one that most people don’t understand the significance of. But it is of utmost importance to the cancer patients who have lost their hair because of chemotherapy, as they face the stigma attached to having cancer.
Indira Jayasuriya
The wig donation drive aims at helping these patients feel themselves again. At present, the trust has given out nearly 975 wigs, through donations or self sponsorships. Prior to this, there was no facility for Sri Lankans to donate hair for Sri Lankans. In partnership with Ramani Fernando Salons, 15 branches located in Colombo, Negombo and Kandy send boxes of hair to the ICT every month. 18,357 ponytails have been donated to date.
The response they have received upto now has been amazing with so many people wanting to donate hair, Chairperson and trustee Dr. Lanka Jayasuriya Dissanayake tells us.
However, the Trust still needs to construct the wigs out of the hair received. Each wig is custom made by Lalith Dharmawardana and his team, and designed in the style of the patient’s actual hair to make them feel themselves again. Upon visiting the ICT office, patients fill out an application and have their measurements taken.
One of the biggest challenges ICT faces is the lack of funds to make these wigs. Each wig costs approximately Rs.12,500 to make. The trust hopes to purchase a machine that weaves the hair together to expedite the wig-making process, but it is a huge expense and the team simply does not have the funds yet.
Cancer is all-consuming, draining one mentally, physically, emotionally and financially. Because of this, the team prioritises the wellbeing of each patient that walks in to their office. “A cancer patient would always need empathy, as opposed to sympathy,” says ICT senior Joan Hyde.
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| ICT’s operation would not be possible without the careful coordination and assistance from their 400 active volunteers and more. Following in the footsteps of their ICT seniors, these volunteers (also known as the juniors) are organising fundraisers to raise Rs one million for the wig making drive. The first of these fundraisers will be a movie screening of ‘Angel Has Fallen’ at Liberty Lite Cinema at 4. 30 p.m. on February 4 – World Cancer Day. Tickets priced at Rs. 1000 are available. Please call Gavin on 0761846075 or Dinal on 0772287764. As they continue their efforts to raise more funds for their projects, they hope to welcome more volunteers to help carry out this important work. For more information, contact +94 11 236 3211 or email indiracancertrust@gmail.com. ICT also runs the country’s only Cancer Helpline for patients requiring emotional support or assistance, and can be contacted on 0112 363 211. See also indiracancertrust.org Donations towards the trust are always welcome, and can be made to: Bank: Commercial Bank Branch: Duplication Road A/C No: 868 002 4505 |