Building support networks for Cancer patients
Perhaps one of the scariest moments that a person may face in life, is to be diagnosed with a terminal illness. Yet not knowing what to do or the next step to take could make one feel completely lost and alone.
Professor Rhyana Raheem recalls feeling at a complete loss when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer was a disease that was completely new to both her and her family and the dearth of information on her options in Sri Lanka had only made the uncertainty worse.
At the time she travelled to the USA for her chemotherapy and this was when Professor Raheem came across the support group concept for cancer patients. Her experience with the support group in the States, led her to realize that there was a need for a similar group in Sri Lanka. This need was more evident amongst those cancer patients who came from a low income background.
After a series of chemotherapy sessions and surgeries Professor Raheem was finally cleared of cancer. Thereafter, she met Mala Thalayasingam, a breast cancer survivor, who was also going through a similar experience at the time. She too shared a similar vision for a cancer support group in Sri Lanka.
They were joined by their family members, friends, doctors and other like-minded cancer survivors. Sooner their dream was realized through the founding of ‘Mithuruwela,’ a cancer support network.
The Non- Profit Organisation’s primary aim has always been to befriend, support and help cancer patients and their caregivers in Sri Lanka. Its establishment in 2005 was well timed, because by 2006, there were more than 10,000 patients registered at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Maharagama.
At its inception, ‘Mithuruwela’ began by supporting the efforts of the Medical Education Unit of the NCI. Through this, it helped the NCI provide information on cancer, the treatment options and their facilities by the publication of educational pamphlets in Sinhalese, Tamil and English.
Subsequently the members of ‘Mithuruwela’ also underwent a training conducted by Nalini Ellawala, the then chair of ‘Sumithrayo’. It was then that they began befriending patients and care-givers at Leilani Schaffter’s transit home “Shanthi Nivasa’. This is a facility which provides free accommodation and other comforts especially to patients and care-givers from the remote regions of the island
Since then ‘Mithuruwela’ has also expanded their befriending efforts to the wards at the NCI and more recently to CCC House, a 188-bed cancer transit home for outpatients at the NCI, sponsored by the CCC Foundation.
‘Mithuruwela’ also conducts several awareness programmes in different parts of the country. Here the founders of the organization share their personal experiences battling the disease. The programme also features presentations by doctors, who touch upon the medical aspects of cancer, such as early detection etc.
To date these programmes have been carried out in a number of locations including Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Elpitiya, Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Ratnapura, Rakwana and Badulla. More recently, Mituruwela also began allocating funds to help patients purchase drugs and other nutritional supplements.
In aid of funding the numerous programmes of ‘Mithuruwela’, the organization has put together ‘Pink Ribbons,’ a musical fund-Raiser which will be held on Sunday (October 14) at the Sri Lanka Tourist Board Auditorium, Galle Road, Colombo 3. It promises an evening filled with the soulful tunes of Dr. Feizal Zavahir of Pennsylvania, USA, who will also be joined by ‘Flame’.
Cancer is a serious health issue that is battled by many people across Sri Lanka. And sometimes it’s truly a blessing to be that glimmer of hope in their darkest moments. Mithuruwela invites the public to be a part of ‘Pink Ribbons’.
Tickets for ‘Pink Ribbons ‘are priced at Rs. 2000 and can be obtained by calling the hotline on 0776303550.
For more information log on to www.cancersupportlk.org.