Charity funded PET scanner to be installed on Sunday

Friday, 30 March 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Father who lost son to cancer raises Rs. 200 m to donate PET scanner to Maharagama cancer hospital

By Shannon Jayawardena

A much-needed Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner costing Rs. 200 million will be donated to the State-run Cancer Hospital this weekend after public funds were raised by a father who lost his son to cancer last year.

Fight Cancer Team (FCT) Founder M.S.H. Mohamed, having lost his son to osteosarcoma, which is an aggressive form of bone cancer, began a journey to accomplish his son’s vision of helping all cancer patients across the country. Maharagama cancer hospital, also known as ‘Apeksha’ hospital, needed a new PET scanner and all funds were raised within a matter of few months by FCT.

The PET scanner arrived in January while preparations were carried out to install the machine in a separate building at the hospital. The machine will be finally put to use on 1 April followed by a walk organised by FCT. Personnel from the tri-forces and police, sportsmen, philanthropists and a total of 3000 participants are expected at the occasion.

FCT Walk Committee Chair Dr. Zurfick said: “The Director of the Apeksha Hospital Dr. M.Y.K Wilfred and Health Service Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe have been pillars of strength in carrying out our fundraising activities. There were many who helped us in numerous ways and we expect to see their efforts translated to numbers on Sunday.”

The walk is to commence at 7.00am from opposite the Roxy Cinema in Wellawatte and will end at the Maharagama cancer hospital, followed by the inauguration of the event. The PET scanner will then be handed over to the hospital authorities at 10.00am.“Our efforts are to battle the disease that is predicted to be the number one cause of death in Sri Lanka by 2020. We hope to raise awareness on cancer as it is our responsibility to educate the nation. We hope to make the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Maharagama the best hospital to receive treatment for cancer in South Asia by 2020 and we hope that all Sri Lankans, regardless of ethnic and religious differences, will join us in our noble cause,” stated Mohamed.

“FCT wants to donate an MRI scanner which costs approximately Rs. 250 million to the cancer hospital. After this project is completed, we are hoping to organise a fund raiser and we hope that all the golden hearted people of Sri Lanka will help us accomplish this task as well.”