29.7.2008
Quintus de Zylva
SUNETHRA
SADARUWANI of Palathuru Kade' Kananke Bazaar Batapotha
Hena is a young girl who was born with a cyanotic congenital
heart defect. We discovered her in a ward at the Karapitiya
Teaching Hospital Galle and studied her with an echocardiogram
and subsequently an angiogram. We then recommended surgery
which was performed at Karapitiya by Dr. Namal Gamage
(cardiothorcaic surgeon at Galle) and the Cardio-Thoracic
surgical team from Guy's Hospital London.
Sunethra
has since been very well and visits the AuSLMAT team whenever
we are at UBR in Galle.
She
is shown here with Dr. Jennifer Johns - cardiologist at
the Austin Hospital - when Jennifer made her fourth visit
to Sri Lanka with the AuSLMAT team in July.
JENNIFER
is President of AuSLMAT and recently received an Australia
Day Honour from the Austin hospital for her 20 year dedication
to cardiology. The citation read " she is revered
as both a superb clinician, excellent leader and effective
manager". Dr. Johns was also recognised for the charitable
work she has carried out in the tsunami ravaged region
of Sri Lanka that has provided medical support and some
five million dollars in equipment for the area's hospitals.
Jennifer
has ignited a great interest in echocardiography at Galle,
Matara and Hambantota. She gave lectures on Cardiac Failure
and Myocardial Infarction whilst in Galle. She also addressed
medical staff at the Matara and Hambantota General hospitals.
She is now keen on providing these hospitals with temporary
pacing facilities which would save lives and diminish
the need to transfer patients to Colombo.
AuSLMAT
will hold it's second annual fund raiser "WHISPERS
OF THE ORIENT" on Saturday 20th September at THE
GRAND on CATHIES LANE Wantirna South. Jennifer will speak
at this function.
AuSLMAT
welcomes medical and other personnel to join us on trips
to SL in January and July 2009. The BERALIHELA MAHA VIDYALAYA
in Tissamaharama will also be visited again. Dr. Sanjiva
Wijesinha, Fiona and Chris Grech and James Coburn will
assist this small village school. We have already received
donations of a photocopier and computers for them. They
need an additional room for their music and dancing classes.
Courtesy - SNNI
