BANDULA JAYASEKARA APPEALS FOR HELP

Senior journalist Bandula Jayasekara has been diagnosed with Myelodyplastic Syndrome blood cancer, and has appealed for help to conduct a bone marrow transplant in Singapore. Following is his appeal:

I was diagnosed with Myelodyplastic Syndrome, a type of blood cancer in July this year. Doctors say the cure is a bone marrow transplant in Singapore because the transplant for this blood cancer (MDS) is considered a very high risk procedure and currently there are no facilities to perform this type of transplants successfully in Sri Lanka. They tell me that without the transplant 50 percent live for two years, and others live a little beyond. I don’t know which 50 percent I belong to.

I am not greedy for life. But I am not finished here yet, since there is a cure. I am determined to get well. I am appealing to you for help because the costs for treatment are exorbitant, and this is unfortunately a matter of life and death, and we need to raise the money soon as the doctors in Singapore are looking for a bone marrow donor.

The National University Cancer Institute of Singapore has estimated the cost to be 220,000 Singapore Dollars - approximately 30 million Sri Lankan Rupees excluding any complications.

Three of my friends (with the support and blessings of several others), Admiral Ravi Wijeguneratne, Neil Iddawala and Kusal Subasinghe have opened an account at the Commercial Bank to fund my treatment.

Do try to help me in any way you can for which I will be eternally grateful.