A heartfelt contribution from Gateway College charity walk

The Children's Heart Project of Sri Lanka received a handsome contribution of Rs. 1 million from the charity walk held by Gateway College, Colombo in July as part of the school's tenth anniversary celebrations.

Dr. Harsha Alles (right) Director, Gateway Group presents a donation of Rs. 1 million to Dr. P N Thenabadu, Chairman, The Children’s Heart Project of Sri Lanka. Others present from left are: Mr. S. K. Wickremesinghe, Mr. N. R. B. Ranasuriya, Mr. Vernon Halpe, Dr. Vijith Kannangara, Directors of The Children’s Heart Project of Sri Lanka, Mr. Somabandhu Kodikara, Headmaster, Gateway College, Mr. Sunil Jayaweera, Director Sports, Gateway College and Mr. J. S. Mather, Director, The Children’s Heart Project of Sri Lanka.

"We did not want to merely focus on fun in celebrating our tenth anniversary. Rather, we wished to teach our children that they are responsible for their less fortunate brothers and sisters, in our endeavour to help create a society with lasting values in Sri Lanka," said Dr. Harsha Alles, Director of the Gateway Group:

Dr. Vijith Kannangara, Director, The Children's Heart Project of Sri Lanka who enlightened the Gateway school community about this long-felt need, noted that the problem of children with congenital heart disease in Sri Lanka is severe and heart-rending. One in 400 children in Sri Lanka is diagnosed with a potentially deadly congenital heart defect. The state can cope with only some 600 operations annually but at any given time, there are over 1,000 children waiting for a life-saving operation. Because of the large number the wait for an operation is about two years, which many children do not survive.

"With a timely operation however, most can go onto living a normal life," said Dr. Kannangara. "So it's just lack of funds that kills these children for most of them hail from backgrounds of grinding poverty."

"This is a magnanimous gesture by children for children," said Dr. P.N. Thenabadu, Chairman of The Children's Heart Project of Sri Lanka. “The funds will go towards enhancing paediatric cardiac facilities in Sri Lanka that will help save a lot of young lives. We are greatly indebted to the management, staff, students, parents and alumni of Gateway College and say a heartfelt 'thank you' to them.”

The aim of The Children's Heart Project of Sri Lanka, a private charity set up in 1993, is to increase the number of successful children's heart operations performed annually and ultimately to eliminate the long waiting lists. This is done primarily by supporting the government with funds and donations in kind to build capacity; and in the interim by providing financial assistance to a limited number of children requiring urgent intervention who have to seek private sector facilities in Sri Lanka.

For more information visit www.chplanka.org or contact info@chplanka.org or 0773 679 617. Donations can be made to 'The Children's Heart Project of Sri Lanka' and forwarded c/o Ernst and Young, 201, De Saram Place, Colombo 10.