INDIRA CANCER TRUST

Emerging Media supports Suwa Arana – the first paediatric palliative care centre in Southeast Asia

An architectural image of the Suwa Arana building.

The direct beneficiaries of Suwa Arana.Indira Cancer Trust’s (ICT) logo – Indira, in whose name the trust was founded.The word ‘cancer’ sparks fear even in the minds of the bravest because of its association with death. Unfortunately, this is not viewed as a disease with the possibility of treatment. But the side effects of the treatment – i.e. chemotherapy – are responsible for making many patients avoid it altogether.

However, organisations such as the Indira Cancer Trust (ICT) are at the forefront of assisting cancer patients in Sri Lanka. Chairperson and Trustee Dr. Lanka Jayasuriya-Dissanayake highlights this registered charity at a time when it is embarking on a significant project of setting up paediatric housing and Southeast Asia’s first palliative care centre for children with cancer.

ICT was established in 2016 and conducts more than 20 programmes with an army of over 600 volunteers. It aims to support patients and their families through a multitude of approaches – viz. setting up the first helpline for cancer in the country, and offering medication, investigations and livelihood development.

The trust also offers scholarships to children of cancer patients, and provides breast prostheses and customised natural hair wigs, as well as equipment, transport, nutrition and aid for funerals.

Furthermore, ICT plays a vital role in alleviating cancer patients’ suffering owing to the stigma surrounding this disease – especially due to hair loss caused by chemotherapy. This is worse than the disease because society shuns them.

For example, children are scared to see their bald parents while workplaces, places of worship and public settings fill them with dread due to their negative attitudes.

ICT’s overall mission can be summed up in one line: to support the fighters, admire the survivors, honour the taken and never ever allow anyone to give up!

As part of this endeavour, the trust is working on its latest and largest project to date – Suwa Arana: A Place for Healing.

This is a much needed facility in Sri Lanka as it will function as a care centre for paediatric cancer patients and their families. Positioned as Southeast Asia’s first centre for special end of life care for children, Suwa Arana offers a home for the whole family to stay together during an exceedingly difficult time.

They will receive medical, nursing, emotional and spiritual care that extends to a range of therapies, including counselling, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, art and music therapy, as well as bereavement support – all aimed at comforting families during trying times.

In addition to palliative care, Suwa Arana also welcomes families travelling from all over the island to obtain treatment for their cancer stricken children at the National Cancer Institute (or Apeksha Hospital) in Maharagama.

A two minute walk from the hospital, this facility will provide boarding for the child and family while treatment is in progress – which can take weeks or months – without the added burden of incurring accommodation and food costs.

This six storey building will have a reception, dining room with a patio that provides home cooked meals, play area, launderette and rooftop garden where a range of activities will be on offer to keep occupants relaxed.

Each floor allocated to patient care will have eight family en suite rooms for a total of 32 en suite rooms at the centre. Meanwhile, there will also be one floor dedicated to all the operations of ICT so that walk-in patients – both adult and paediatric – can also be supported.

The cost of Suwa Arana is Rs. 425 million. ICT has raised 160 million rupees already with the sustained partnership of the Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America – Western Region (SLMANA-WR). Meanwhile, ICT continues its efforts to garner the remaining funds.

With this fundraising goal, ICT urges anyone who would like to extend a hand towards this cause to contact it for further details, noting that despite the challenging times that are upon us, it’s only with the collective efforts of humanity that such colossal dreams transpire into reality.

One such noteworthy example is Emerging Media’s contribution. Sanjeewa Rajapakshe – its Founder and Managing Director – has been a longstanding supporter of a large number of ICT’s programmes both as an individual and through his organisation.

Understanding the immense importance of Suwa Arana, the advertiser is supporting ICT in raising the remaining funds on time.

To this end, Emerging Media’s digital screens around Colombo display messages to increase awareness and garner support for the Suwa Arana project, reflecting the myriad ways in which organisations can do their part.

ICT is pursuing fundraising efforts for this significant project to ensure that the trust can maintain its commitment to these children and their families.

The trust hopes that readers who share its passion for championing paediatric palliative care and housing for paediatric cancer patients will be willing to offer ICT encouragement by helping it get closer to its goal of opening the doors to welcome residents to Suwa Arana by 2023.

INDIRA CANCER TRUST