The Ratna and Meropi Sivaratnam Memorial opens at the Trail Cancer Hospital in Tellippalai

Tuesday, 7 January 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dr. Dinesh Sivaratnam has continued the legacy of his parents, Ratna and Meropi, in helping patients with cancer by making the single largest donation towards the completion of the Trail Cancer Hospital in Tellippalai, Jaffna. An entire hospital ward of sixty beds and accommodation for medical and nursing staff of size 15,000 square feet, part of the larger Trail Cancer Hospital complex will be named the Ratna and Meropi Sivaratnam Ward. The cancer hospital has been built by the Colours of Courage Trust from funds collected through Trail - A journey by the living, for life, a 670 km walk from the southernmost point of Sri Lanka - Dondra to the northern most point of Sri Lanka - Point Pedro with aim of raising $ 2 million to

build a cancer hospital in the North. Trail was an initiative by Sarinda Unamboowe and Nathan Sivagananathan in collaboration with the Colours of Courage Trust. Over 100,000 people participated in Trail for a day or more for this project with thirteen who did the whole walk of 670 km. Contributions were also received from individuals, the mercantile sector and some of their principals from abroad. The Sivaratnam family is a distinguished Sri Lankan family. Ratna “Roti” was the Chairman of the bluechip company, Aitken Spence and Company Ltd. His wife, Meropi, who passed away eighteen months ago, and their Son, Romesh, who succumbed to cancer at the age of 26, during their lifetime actively contributed to patients with cancer to make a difference in their lives and that of their families. This donation is in line with the philosophy with which they all lived in making a positive difference in people’s lives. The organisation behind Trail, the Colours of Courage Trust (COC), a non-profit organisation dedicated to uplifting treatment facilities at the National Cancer lnstitute, Maharagama was founded in 2008. To-date the Colours of Courage Trust has carried out several fund raising initiatives, the funds of which have been utilised to build the Medical and Surgical lntensive Care Units at the National Cancer lnstitute. The Board of Trustees of the COC comprise Dian Gomes, Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, R. Theagarajah, Nathan Sivagananathan, Mahela Jayawardene, Ranjan Seevaratnam, Amila Fernando and Anushman Rajaratnam. For more information on the Colours of Courage Trust and Trail visit www.coloursofcou raqe.com and www.tra ilsl.com.