Cycling for a cause

 From left, Bishop of the Jaffna Diocese CSI, Rt. Rev. Dr V Pathmathyalan, Ride4Ceylon Co-Founder David Rasiah and R4C Chief Ride Organiser Nishantha Abeywardena

Launching the X-ray unit funded by Ride4Ceylon

Ride4Ceylon committee members and donors presenting the X-ray machine to Green MemorialHospital

By Divya Navindaki

Ride for Ceylon, an annual charity bike ride event, was founded in 2017, with the objective of financing the development of the Green Memorial Hospital (GMH) in Manipay. A branch of a UK based charity called Friends of Manipay Hospital, the impact of Ride4Ceylon has been far reaching within the medical community of Sri Lanka. Over the years, the event has not only been able to collect sizeable donations for the hospital but also to commit to other causes such as aiding students in poverty. Furthermore, Ride4Ceylon has become a truly international event, attracting many international riders and donors, and thereby promoting tourism in Sri Lanka too.

Ride4Ceylon is back for another year with bigger goals and is to be held from 28 February to 2 March 2024.

The Daily FT spoke to Ride4Ceylon Co-Founder David Rasiah about the annual event where he explained the charity’s vision, goals, and their impactful donations over the years. Following are excerpts of the interview:

Q: What was the inspiration behind founding Ride4Ceylon and what was the vision you had for uplifting Green Memorial Hospital?

A: I lost my daughter Gabriella in 2017. When I heard that the Arnold brothers were supporting this hospital, I offered to help. They mentioned that the hospital didn’t have a paediatric unit, so that’s where I got involved. A few old boys from S. Thomas’, Sriomal de Silva and I decided to set up Ride for Ceylon to help raise the finances for this project. The paediatric ward is being opened in Gabriella’s name. Around the same time, one of my close friends also lost his wife to cancer and because this hospital didn’t have a cancer unit, we started it in her name.

This is the oldest teaching hospital in Sri Lanka. It is 176 years old, but not many people know about it. It is the second oldest hospital in South Asia. During the war, it was not functioning and the Arnold brothers based in the UK and originally from Manipay, visited Jaffna and were heartbroken that the hospital was no longer operational. So, they went back to the UK and established this charity, which has now expanded.

In 2017, we created this group called Ride4Ceylon and since then we have had this annual ride and next year's ride will be the 8th.

Q: How do you see the impact of the recent donations, especially the X-ray machine? 

A: This year’s ride raised over £80,000 which is about Rs.45 million. And we bought the latest digital X-ray machine for the hospital at a cost of $70k.

I should say the hospital was very happy. The Bishop of the Jaffna Diocese CSI, Rt. Rev. Dr V Pathmathyalan, has personally assured me his support in making GMH a national treasure, bringing state-of-the-art healthcare for the benefit of the whole country. These valuable donations are a step forward. The modern machines can revolutionise the medical field. The committee’s impact has been significant. GMH is now at a stage where it could become one of the best modern health centres in the country or even Asia. 

I want to highlight that we are not just working in the hospital. We are also renovating the Elders’ Home at the hospital. It may take a year or two. But it is in the pipeline.  In addition, we have gifted laptops and mobile phones to students in the South to help them with online studies.

Meanwhile, during the COVID pandemic we teamed up with the Sri Lanka Police and distributed over 7,000 packs of dry rations throughout the country.

Q: What are your plans for the 2024 event? 

A: Next year’s ride would be primarily for the paediatric unit and the Hope Beyond Cancer unit. When the Maharagama Cancer Hospital says they can no longer offer treatment to a patient, we offer them alternative care. It will not be like a hospice, but we try alternative treatments. Giving them some hope and helping to live for at least another month or two is the target. 

This year we are riding from Kandy to Jaffna, a four-day ride. We have 60 riders participating from around the world, and hope to raise another £100,000. We have just started fundraising and already collected £40,000, so it is going well. The ride is from 28 February to 2 March 2024. 

Q: How did the concept of organising a charity cycling event come about?

A: We follow a British model on how to raise awareness and collect donations. Though we are a very small charity, we have been able to collect £80,000 in six months, which is huge. Therefore, that model works.

A ride is also fun. Riding for four days, we start at 4 am and finish at 11am, i.e. seven hours of cycling. We split into three groups, experienced riders in the front, then good, casual riders, followed by the less confident cyclists. Next year, we are introducing tandem bikes, i.e. two cyclists on one bike. This would allow a less able person to participate, with the help of a strong rider. It is not a competition, but a charity ride. Everyone is welcome. We are trying to accommodate all levels of ability. That’s the plan.

This year’s ride includes about 15-20 female cyclists. The age of riders varies significantly too. Last year, a 70-year-old female cyclist rode the whole distance. We have families cycling together too.

Q: Could you discuss the model you use for collecting and donating money? 

A: We use a UK-based platform called JustGiving, used extensively in the UK. Each rider has to collect a minimum of £1,000 in donations. The riders pay a £500 registration fee to cover their accommodation, meals, medical care, etc. for a five-day trip. Since we receive sponsorship from some hotel chains, the accommodation is subsidised.

Q: With over 50 riders flying in from overseas, what role do they play in taking the message forward?

A: The riders are sponsored by friends, families, and colleagues. By posting our link, we get free advertising. We get many inquiries, that is very encouraging. The objective was never to have too much publicity, it was to do service. But now, it has gone beyond that, and the people are expecting the committee to do more. In addition, Ride for Ceylon have three Brand Ambassadors, who not only support our cause

but assist in spreading awareness of our project. They are American physician and artist Dr. Pia de Girolamo, former England rugby 7’s player Dan Norton and American endurance cyclist Jen Orr.

Q: How do you think this event would impact the tourism sector of the country?

A: We are also promoting tourism. Last year we teamed up with the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. We are doing so again this year.

Most of the cyclists are British. Their participation is heavily supported by Australian, American, Canadian, Singaporean, and Malaysian riders, besides a large Sri Lankan base.

Furthermore, none of this would have been possible without the ongoing assistance provided by the Sri Lankan Police. They help with the logistics, ensuring a smooth and safe operation.

Q: What other plans do you have for the future?

A: In addition to helping this hospital, we want to bridge the South and North gap. Our aim is to help heal the ethnic divisions.

We are also promoting sports and are partnering with the Sydney Football Club, which is really exciting for us. They provide jerseys and sports equipment to be distributed to various schools etc. within Sri Lanka.

Visit www.ride4ceylon for further details.