Neuro-Surgeon Non-pareil – Professor Tissa Wijeyratne – Contributed by Max Gerreyn and Radha de Mel

Source: Western Australia SRI LANKA ASSOCIATION Newsletter

Professor Tissa Wijeratne is a world-renown Australian-based Neurologist and is currently on a special mission. Professor Tissa Wijeratne is the first ever visiting Professor of Neurology to be appointed to a Sri Lankan University. He was appointed as a Visiting Professor of Neurology at Rajarata University, Sri Lanka as well as at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya to promote neurology education in Sri Lanka.

“Born and raised in what I describe as “the jungle,” my life started in one of the remotest parts of Sri Lanka: a village called Kirioruwa-Bandarawela in the central mountainous area. Electricity, hot water, television, and telephone were all miles away from us at the time.”

Dr Tissa Wijeratne was born in Kirioruwa – Bandarawela of very humble beginings. He began his medical career in the University of Peradeniya in 1987, and at the completion of his internship, was handpicked to be the youngest junior lecturer at the University. He counts himself fortunate to have been trained in neurology and stroke medicine under the mentorship of Prof. Nimal Senayanake, who is currently the Chair of  the Dept. of Neurology  at Western Health, and the first Sri Lankan born neurologist to lead an academic department of neurology in Australia.

Dr Wijeratne lived through tumultuous political and civil unrest before completing his internship. In Sri Lanka, he also showed much promise as an aspiring journalist and contributed over 3000 articles to leading newspapers and magazines.

A specialist in stroke,seizures in the elderly,neurocysticercosis, quality of life in multiple sclerosis, neurophysiology of central and peripheral pain and young stroke, and Chronic Migraine,  Dr Wijeratne has served in New Zealand, South Australia and Victoria.

A patriot to the core, he has made innumerable visits to Sri Lanka and conducted over 150 master-classes in stroke medicine since 2007.

A humble and modest individual, he has dedicated his life to healing people with complex neural conditions, and to educating other medical professional:

“I will continue to do my very best to dedicate my life to making life better for my fellow human beings. I have no boundaries for this purpose.”

In 2016  he overcame  a near-fatal  health experience, but recoverd well, and thankfully, is currently in good health. Tissa  is married and has two adult children.