Indira Cancer Trust launches ‘Suwa Arana’ Sri Lanka’s first Paediatric Palliative Care Centre today

The late Indira Jayasuriya

Indira Cancer Trust Founder Dr. Lanka Dissanayake 

The Indira Cancer Trust will open its doors today to ‘Suwa Arana’, the first-ever Paediatric Palliative Care Centre in Sri Lanka.  

The newly constructed six-story ‘Suwa Arana’ Centre, adjacent to the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama stands as a remarkable achievement, having been funded entirely through collected donations amounting to Rs. 847 million. Its services will be free of charge to all child patients referred by the Apeksha Hospital. 

The spacious Care Centre features 32 rooms with en suite bathrooms, modern facilities and balconies, a playroom, multi-faith spaces, a wig production unit, a counselling centre and even a therapeutic garden. 

According to Suwa Arana Head Joan Hyde, the Centre will serve as a home-from-home for children being treated at the Apeksha Hospital in between treatment sessions. “We are offering a home-from-home service where children will be able to receive treatment at the Apeksha Hospital and stay at the Care Centre free of charge,” she said. 

“During the stay children will be able to engage in play therapy and similar sessions to ensure their overall wellbeing. The parents will also be provided with counselling,” Hyde added. 

In a unique feature, the Care Centre also consists of ‘Rainbow Rooms’ designed to provide end-of-life care for children which will also allow the extended family to remain with the patient at the time. 

The new building will also be home to the Indira Cancer Trust, headed by Dr Lanka Dissanayake.  The trust which has contributed immensely to cancer patients in Sri Lanka since its inception in 2016 was established in honour of Dr. Dissanayake’s sister Indira Jayasuriya, the daughter of former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya who passed away at the age of 40 from breast cancer. 

According to Hyde each floor of the building was sponsored by various charitable persons and organisations while the sponsorships for the rooms were also undertaken by well-wishers and benefactors.  Among its donors are the Wijerama Family Foundation, MJF Charitable Foundation, Laksaviya, Lions Club International and many others. 

The Care Centre was designed by leading Interior Stylist Thanuj Goonewardena with the earth as his inspiration, presented through the change of colour tones in the child-friendly wallpaper featured on every floor of the building.