The Ride4Ceylon Team have had a busy year, completing their fourth and most successful annual Ride and a Covid19 Rapid Relief Food Aid Programme. Now their sights are set on 2021 and Hope Beyond Cancer.
Since its inception in 2017, Ride4Ceylon has made its presence felt island wide. An annual, sponsored cycle ride from Colombo to Jaffna, it attracts local and international cyclists, who fundraise for Sri Lanka’s landmark Green Memorial Hospital, Manipay. To date, the Ride has raised around £200,000 in funds, equipment and materials, resulting in routine and specialist medical services, in-patient facilities, clinical staff, nurses’ training, a new ambulance and the development of a Pediatric Ward.
In 2021, the Ride will focus on raising funds to redevelop the Hospital’s historic Mission House into a ground-breaking cancer care and research facility, Hope Beyond Cancer (HBC). The idea for a cancer unit came following the tragic death of Rochelle, wife of Rider Stanmore Anandarajah, in 2017. “Sri Lanka already has good cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities, but sadly, for some patients, cancer treatment doesn’t work” explains Ride4Ceylon Trustee Dr. Jayantha Arnold. “That’s where HBC steps in, primarily as a palliative care provider.”
In clinical terms, HBC will have 24/7 onsite medical support which will be a new feature for a palliative care service. Services will nutritional support and physiotherapy. Palliative care will offer pain relief and oxygen, alongside counselling services.
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HBC will also house a Cancer Research Facility with international collaboration. “Green Memorial Hospital has a strong tradition of addressing existing health gaps” continued Dr. Arnold. “So, the research must be relevant to the Sri Lankan context. For instance, the World Health Organization noted the prevalence of oral cancers here. Our research will explore the relationship between local diet and customs, like betel chewing and oral cancers”. It also means research into higher prevalence cancers in the region; the benefits of national social media prevention programmes; and the provision of public information and peer-to-peer support platforms.
Last year, 35% of sponsorship monies were designated to HBC, enabling work to start this November. “That’s the really exciting part” enthused fellow Trustee, Arni Arnold, “to be able to rally funds for a cause, realize that money and build further next year”. Indeed, in 2021, 60% of monies raised will support HBC.
The ripple effects of Ride4Ceylon extend through the health system. Not only has it provided sports equipment to support community health, but the Trustees personally donated funds towards the establishment of Peradeniya Teaching Hospital’s new Orthopedic High Dependency Unit, in recognition of a Peradeniya Consultant’s invaluable advice towards the Green Memorial project.
It is a quite extraordinary story. The first cycle ride for the Hospital in 2017 had 6 cyclists raising £12,500. By 2020, it had 45 cyclists from 6 countries, bringing in £102,000 and the formal endorsement of GOSL Minister, the Hon. Chamal Rajapaksa, who flagged off the 2020 Ride. In 2021, the Team is inviting 60 cyclists to cover 479km.
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“We’ve been really energized by the commitment of our network and that inspires us to grow” recounts David Rasiah, who co-organizes the Ride with its founder, Old Thomian classmate Michael Arnold. “The dedication of our Chief Ride Organiser Nishantha Abeywardena and Ride Captain Kumar Kalyanakumar alone is immense.”
“But ultimately, our success comes down to our cause. People see what we’re trying to achieve and it strikes a chord”. Indeed, it’s a chord that has resonated with partnerships as illustrious as Lord’s Taverners, Surrey CCC and Sydney’s famous City Tattersalls Club, to name a few.
In many ways, Hope Beyond Cancer captures the heart of Ride4Ceylon: restoring our past to meet today’s needs and building for tomorrow.” Forget the Tour de France; we have a Tour de Force.
Ride4Ceylon 2021 will take place from 3-6 March. Visit www.ride4ceylon.com for details.
