Whispering Hope for Cancer sufferers in Badulla
BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE
Ruwanal Senewiratne and Philomena Mather form an evenly balanced combination in their daily lives and activities and although their academic interests contrast sharply, their mutual interest in social life and welfare of the greater community settles them on an even plane.
Very much the socialites among Sri Lanka’s large expatriate community in Melbourne, Ruwanal and Philo throw themselves vigorously into most activities associated with Sri Lanka’s much respected ethnic contributors to Australian society having a hand in many projects that are aimed at raising much needed funds for those ailing, and others in need, in the land of their birth.
As leaders of a charity organization named Whispering Hope, Philomena Mather is the current President, the duo have managed to secure an Ambulance, a four-wheel rugged terrain vehicle that would ideally suit the needs of the Badulla Cancer hospital. The vehicle has been shipped to Sri Lanka with the blessings of the local Ministry headed by Haren Fernando who have waived all associated red tape to do with import duty, so it can be fast tracked to be utilized for patient transport in the Badulla area.
Whispering Hope has over the years contributed in a significant manner towards the welfare of the Badulla hospital and its on going projects which help Cancer patients seek and get required medication for the deadly disease.
Thousands of dollars of urgently needed medical equipment such as Surgical microscopes, Staplers, Multimonitor, and other sophisticated instruments and gadgetry used for surgical procedures have been purchased and sent to the Badulla Hospital before the purchase of the $18,000 Ambulance which will be handed over to the hospital by Minister Haren Fernando. The ambulance is being shipped to Colombo by Transco Shipping company in Melbourne.
The activities of Whispering Hope is ongoing says Ruwanal and Philo and the support it receives is mostly due to the generosity of its major sponsrs such as Haileybury College, Keysborough, Sunnyhurst Nursing Home, Prestige Wardrobes and Showerscreens, Patterson Cheyney Toyota, Krysborough, Jet Travel and Cruise, and The Sandown Regency (Walawwa) who together with regular sponsors such as, Upali’s Restaurant, L.J.Hooker, Sri Luk Auty Pty. and Cinex who have donated for quite a few years.
Whispering Hope have benefitted from Esric and his late wife Sandra Jackson who, time and again performed at no cost to provide entertainment at the fundraisers. Rodney and Pam Jansz, Kit and Elaine Abeywardena, Tilak and Carmen Ganegama, Alex and Viv Cooray,89 and Bertie Ekanaike are among many others who regularly throw their hat in to help in whatever way possible says Ruwanal and Philo making the task of the fundraising committee so much easier to handle in their efforts to help the hospital cope with the treatment of patients in the Badulla district.
