PILISARANA PROJECTS

PILISARANA INC., MELBOURNE
(REGISTRATION NO. A 0045854E)

Co-ordinate:

"A HELPING HAND TO THOSE WHO NEED"

A project to help the leukemia ward at the Kandy Hospital

Dear friends,

The incidence of leukemia and other potentially fatal blood diseases is increasing steadily throughout the world and Sri Lanka is no exception. The mainstay of treatment is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, whilst destroying the diseased blood cells also affects the immune system. Without the immune system, the body cannot fight infections which in such patients could be fatal. These patient must therefore be managed in an extremely clean, isolated environment provided with filtered air.

The Kandy General Hospital (KGH) is a major health facility in Sri Lanka other than those in the capital city, Colombo. Patients with serious illness are referred to the KGH from far away places such as Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Batticaloa etc. as the provincial hospitals lack the required facilities and/or expertise. However, the condition of the leukemia ward at the KGH could only be described as shocking. One has to actually visit the ward to see the disgraceful condition in which it is. Far from being a dedicated facility to treat seriously ill patients with potentially fatal diseases the present structure could be described as a semi-permanent shed open to the exterior! In addition, it is a few feet away from an 'open-air' infectious diseases ward. Patients' beds are jammed one against the other due to lack of space. Often, two patients share one bed - and these are immunocompromised patients on chemotherapy. It is a miracle that some actually survive. Another unbelievable feature is the presence of a cess pit inside the ward- yes, actually inside the ward. The concrete covering is broken and is covered over with a wooden plank. Right next to it are leukemia patients. This is supposed to be a part of the teaching facility of the University of Peradeniya Medical Faculty.

Apart from the appalling state of the physical facilities, there is also an acute shortage of life saving drugs. These are very expensive and patients are expected to pay for them. The vast majority of admissions are from rural areas and patients simply cannot afford to pay.

Thus KGH needs a dedicated ward for treating leukemia and other cancerous blood diseases and also a drug fund to benefit needy patients. There is a fund for the latter set up by the Haematologist in charge, Dr. (Mrs.) Nilanthi Ekanayake and the other staff members but the available funds are woefully inadequate. Plans have been drawn up for a four storey building and have been approved by the Ministry of Health. However, the Government has indicted that it has no funds! The total cost of the building is estimated to be Rs. 10 million (100 lakhs) which is about AUD 14500.00.

This is where we need you. Whilst enjoying a relatively comfortable life in our adopted country, let us not forget the less fortunate kith and kin 'back home'. We earnestly solicit your support through a financial contribution. Every cent donated will go to the Leukemia ward. There are no 'administrative expenses' involved.

We cannot accomplish this without your help. Your assistance to make this project a success is humbly solocited.

2005 June a patient being treated at the newly built Dialysis ward with the machine donated by Pilisarana Inc	Mrs. Iyanthi Kulasekera with the staff at the Dialysis ward - Colombo South Hospital
2005 April- Operating table, beds & other medical equipment donated to the Kandy Hospital

Would you help us in this time of need?

Your support and compassion may save someone’s life!

PLEASE MAKE YOUR DNATIONS NOW BY DEPOSITING TO :
PILISARANA INC.

Account No: 013 289 4989 32998
ANZ Bank, Dandenong Plaza Branch

Or send your cheque or money order made payable to:
PILISARANA INC. No. 10, Woodlea Drive , GlenWaverley,3150
Victoria.

(The receipt for your donation will be mailed to you )

Thanking you

Yours in spirit of service,

Dr. Mrs. Nilanrhi Ekenayake
Consultant Haematologist
Teaching Hospital
Kandy
Tel : 2232730 (Kandy)

Dr. Padma Herath: 9803 9051
Dr. Kamala de Silva: 9705 2255
Mrs. Kusumi Soysa: 9548 0276
Mrs. Pearl Dias: 9486 1752
Mr. Francis Kurukulasuriya: 9795 0513
Mr. Sumira Ratnayake: 9511 4080

April 2005.

DIALYSIS PROJECT FOR COLOMBO SOUTH (KALUBOWILA) TEACHING HOSPITAL, SRI-LANKA

The above project started four years ago with the intention of providing dialysis equipment to the Colombo South Hospital in Kalubowila. Pilisarana Inc. was registered as a non profitable organization in August 2004 in order to fund this project. A fund raising dinner was organized a Total sum of $3700.00 was raised to buy equipment to be sent to Sri Lanka.

This project was co coordinated by Mr. Sumira Ratnayake and included the following members.

President Dr Padma Herath, Financial Advisor Mr. Francis Kurukulasuriya, Clinical co coordinator Ianthie Kulatilleke, Secretary Kusumi Soysa, other members included are Dr and Mrs. Lakshman and Pearl Dias, Dr. Kamala De Silva.

IN SRI LANKA THE PROJECT COORDINATORS ARE:

Dr. Kamani Wanigasuriya -Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Consultant Physician, University Medical Unit Colombo South Teaching Hospital Sri Lanka.

The Kidney Patients Welfare Society Secretary/head of organization: Janet Gunasekera No: 32/5, Terrence Avenue Mount Lavinia Sri Lanka.
Tel: (94) 11-2714923 Fax (94) 11-2714923
Board Consultants Include Prof Rezvi Sheriff, Prof Devaka Fernando

UPDATE OF THE PROJECT AS AT 20TH APRIL 2005

1. The Shipment of Dialysis equipment left Melbounre on the 1st of April and expected to arrive in Colombo on the 21st of April.

2. Janice Pickering and Ianthie kulatilleke will leave for Colombo early May to establish dialysis services at the Kalubowila Hospital.

3. All consumables will be provided by the Health Ministry in Sri Lanka.

4. Janice hopes to put her expertise into practice and set up the water purification system. We are equipped with a carbon Tank, Filter hosing, extra filters etc., and of course two Reverse Osmosis systems with new membranes. When set up this system will be able to provide water for 4 machines.

5. Ianthie hopes to take care of the clinical side of dialysis and start the process of Dialysis at the South Colombo Hospital.

6. The Austin Hospital has donated 2 x AK 100 Machines and 2 Dialysis chairs. And put in a lot of hard work servicing the machines and checking the water that was carried all the way from Sri Lanka.

A very Special Thank you to everyone who donated towards this project.

The North West Dialysis Services and Julie Owen (Director OF NWDS) of The Royal Melbourne Hospital for donating two Reverse Osmosis Machines and providing the opportunity for a technician Janice Pickering to travel to Sri Lanka.

Renal Technical Services at the Austin Hospital for providing the AK 100 Machines and everything else.

A very special Thank you to Dave McKinnon and Gambro Pty., Ltd for donating two new RO membranes

Anton Giuffre of Cuno Pacific Pty Ltd for Donating Carbon granules and Filters.

Peter Tippett of Neomedics for all his donations towards this project.
Renal Technical Services and Home Training Unit, and Sandy Aguir at the Monash Medical Centre for providing machines almost 4 years ago.
All the members of Pilisarana Inc., who do all the work behind the scenes.

Stephanie Walsh and Nilanka Kulatilleke who have paid their own fare to travel to Sri Lanka to help Ianthie and Janice set up this Unit.

Kalubowila Hospital South Colombo - The New Building. The Dialysis Unit will be in the old part of the Hospital that can be seen between the trees.

THE DIALYSIS UNIT BEING BUILT (JULY 2004)

ENTRANCE TO THE DIALYSIS UNIT (JULY 2004)