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Dear Friends, Friends of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon),

As you may know Sri Lanka is going through a very difficult time due to its financial instability. Lack of foreign reserves in the country has caused a severe knock on effect in essential public services such as healthcare and transport. Sri Lankan healthcare system vastly depends on drugs, medicines and medical equipment that are imported from foreign suppliers. These imports have been severely low due to the lack of foreign reserves in the country.

We have reached out to a the relevant authorities of a few leading health boards/hospitals to offer our support and the first request for urgent medical support has been received from the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) for Children, which is the largest Paediatric hospital in Sri Lanka.

On behalf of Ranaviru Fund and Sri Lankan Association in Scotland, attached the request letter specifically issued to Ranaviru Fund / SLAS | Sri Lankan Association in Scotland. We will be fundraising through Ranaviru Fund, Scottish Registered Charity (OSCR Reg No SC041479) to support this urgent medical need of LRH.

As a fundamental practice and policy, Ranaviru Fund charity provides full financial accounts including the detailed expenses for all charitable projects it delivers.

Donations can be made via PayPal Giving Fund following the link below. UK donors, please consider adding Gift Aid to your donations at no extra cost to you.

https://www.paypal.com/uk/fundraiser/charity/38286

Thank you for your support.

Official request letter from the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo:

Himali Dissanayake is a mother of three, and the lynchpin that looks after a family with extreme medical needs. Himali is married to retired STF officer B. L. G. Siripala.

Youngest daughter: She was born deaf and had to undergo a heart surgery when she was just three months old. Himai’s entire focus was to get her daughter’s hearing restored. Himali had to leave her job to take care of her daughter. Due to her relentless pursuit to make things better for her daughter, Himali was able to find over 2 million in donations to get her daughter a cochlear implant surgery in 2013. After the surgery, the family moved to Kandy in order to get speech therapy for her daughter. Despite their attempts, unfortunately, even after years of therapy her speech could not be fully restored.

Second son: Due to the many changes that occurred in their lives after moving to Kandy, the second son was affected mentally. He needs regular psychiatric care now. He also suffers from severe diabetes.

Eldest son: Eldest son got though his A/Ls well and completed an agriculture diploma. He is now working as an agriculture officer.

STF officer Siripala: Chief Inspector Siripala served 37 years in the Special Task Force and retired in December 2019. Throughout the war he was injured several times, but continued to serve in frontline areas until 2009. He has won many commendations for his service. Soon after his retirement, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He is being treated now for the condition and his medicine alone costs over Rs. 10,000 a month. Chief Inspector Siripala had obtained several loans for various medical expenses of the family, and after all the loan deductions he only receives Rs. 29,500 of the monthly pension to his hand.

Himali: She is the courageous mother who the entire family depends on. She too has many medical issues, but the most urgent need right now is an eye surgery for her. Due to the demands of the family, she cannot afford to stay in a waiting list to get the surgery. Surgery in one eye was done in December 2020 at a cost of Rs. 140,000. The surgery on the other eye to restore vision is due. The estimated cost of this second surgery is at around Rs. 225,000, which we are now appealing for donations.

This is an urgent appeal to get your help to raise Rs. 225,000 for Himali’s eye surgery. After her surgery we want to find a way to help family make a sustainable income through a small business of their own.

Supporting documents are attached below along with the photographs of the family.