New initiatives by Mithuruwela to support Cancer Care

In March 2020, due to restrictions imposed on travel and public gatherings by the Covid-19 pandemic, all Mithuruwela activities came to a standstill. However, instead of suspending its work, the Mithuruwela Management Committee decided that new initiatives that minimized people-to-people contact should be thought of and implemented.

One new project focused on caregivers from low-income families based at the Shanthi Niwasa Transit Home in Maharagama. Most of these care-givers found it difficult to cope with the high prices of daily needs.

Mithuruwela, therefore, decided to support them by establishing a Caregiver Project to provide a pack of dry rations to each caregiver every month. The project has been active since June and warmly welcomed at ’Shanthi Niwasa’.

Another decision was to support cancer care in the regions by improving facilities at provincial cancer hospitals and wards. The first initiative under the new project was a donation to the Trail Cancer Hospital in Tellipalai as a memorial to Suhendiran Thalayasingam, Mithuruwela’s Chairman, who died in February 2020.

Among the items gifted in August, as requested by Dr. Chrishanthi Rajasooriyar, Director of the hospital, were an industrial floor scrubber to help keep the wards clean, a multi-media projector and speakers to be used for education programs and a laptop computer to help maintain accurate patient records.

In November, Mithuruwela provided the Provincial General Hospital at Badulla with items sought for the Oncology Ward, which included a two-way medical bed, two hot water geysers, two medicine trolleys and replacement of three broken wash basins in the toilets. In addition, Mithuruwela also undertook the repair and painting of 45 beds and 45 bedside cupboards in the ward.

The Badulla project was made possible due of the support and assistance of Sudath Ariyaratne, Senior Manager of Finlays Plantations, Hopton Group.

Support was also received from Dr. M. Chenthuran, Consultant Oncologist, Nursing Sister RD Wimala, Manjula and Sunil Jayasinghe, ward attendants of the Oncology Ward of the hospital. The new initiatives are funded by Mithuruwela as well as by donations from members and well-wishers.

In addition, for the Regional Support Project, items were also donated to commemorate loved ones. Mala and Anjali Thalayasingam donated a laptop to the Tellipalai Hospital in memory of Suhendiran Thalayasingam. The two-way bed for Badulla was gifted by family members in memory of Dr. Iqbal Raheem who had worked at the Badulla Hospital. The two medical trolleys were purchased through a donation made by Praguna Management .

Mithuruwela, the Cancer Support Network, is a non-profit organization established in 2005 by two cancer survivors. For the past 15 years, Mithuruwela has been conducting Cancer Awareness Sessions in villages and plantation areas across the country.

In addition, Mithuruwela also conducts educational activities for children at the CCC House at the Apeksha Hospital, befriender visits to the Shanthi Niwasa Transit Home and to wards at the Apeksha Hospital.

All activities are funded by donations from members and well-wishers.