Help Karunawathi

Message List

1. Anunayake of Amarapura Sri Dhammarakshitha Nikaya, Rajakeeya Pandita, the Most Venerable Thrikunamale Ananda Thero
2. Dr.Dhammika Perera, Sri Lanka
3. Ms. Sangeetha Weerarathne, Actress
4. Dr. Piyal Walpola, Canada

Anunayake of Amarapura Sri Dhammarakshitha Nikaya, Rajakeeya Pandita, the Most Venerable Thrikunamale Ananda Thero, Sri Lanka

December 07, 2011

The Bodhisattva, roaming sansara for countless number of aeons helped in various ways, beings afflicted by sorrow. Once enlightened, the Buddha continued helping such beings for forty five years.

This is an excellent opportunity to venerate the Lord Buddha's quality of helping the suffering.

It is compassion to identify, empathise and help a being in whatever manner who is afflicted with sorrow to overcome it. The field of compassion, is the suffering being. Unlock your door to compassion. Let your flower of compassion bloom. Let your mind open to compassion.

May the awakening of your compassion be in veneration of the Lord Buddha and in homage to the message of all other religious teachers.

Rajakeeya Pandita, Thrikunamale Ananda Thero

 

Dr.Dhammika Perera, Sri Lanka

October 16, 2011

My dear friends,

I first got to know about this patient about 3 weeks before, when I was sent some photographs of Mr. Karunawathi by Ven. Walasmulle Jinarathana Thero. Since then I also had the opportunity to get involved at several stages of helping her. First I must thank Jinarathana thero for giving us a good opportunity to get ourselves also, involved in a good deed and also directing us to understand the philosophy of life.

There are several important facts that I should highlight here.

1. This lady has been having this disease for almost more than a year. Since she had been discharged from the ward, with the disease, without being able to go for a reconstructive surgery at that time due to many reasons, her survival up to now, with this situation was a miracle. Mr.Suranga, her beloved son was the key person who looked after her with tremendous seen and unseen difficulties. It should be highly appreciated at all instances. If it was not for Suranga, she would have died many months before. So he deserves a big salute.
2. Sri Lanka has many charity organizations, Social service departments of government, and many non-governmental organizations in operation to serve the needy people like these. If they are unable to serve a person of this nature, especially someone who is really in need of help, then it is questionable as to what one could expect from such governmental and non-governmental organizations??? Interventions should have been done well before this to uplift the socio-economic condition of the lady, but having all kinds of governmental and non-governmental social service programs in operation, nothing has happened in favor until Ven. Walasmulle Jinarathana Thero visited the lady a few weeks ago. He immediately called for all possible help. He has played his role as a Buddhist monk and it is a great example for many other monks in the country especially for those who can do something but, unfortunately having a blind eye, on matters which really calls for immediate attention.
3. Ven. Jinarathana Thero first initiated a private fund, donating himself as well, to renovate the room of Mrs. Karunawathi, to have her basic needs in a comfortable manner. Without stopping at that level, he took another step to gather resources to cure her. It is a very important thing to do, since all the suffering that she was undergoing due to this illness, could have been minimized, if there had been any relief from this illness. Any other help, would not have been that effective. So I highly appreciate that effort. Ideally to help someone we should identify all problems prevailing around of that person and should correct all problems at the same time as much as possible to make an effective change in a life. This intervention done for Mrs. Karunawathi is exemplary to all who help the needy people, because helping the other makes you are worthy of living.
4. There are several organizations operating in Sri Lanka who help people like these with their personal agendas. For example some groups help needy people asking to join their religious beliefs, to convert them to their religion eventually. But this "Kalyana Mithra" group acted in full faith without expecting anything in return; a kalyana mithra behavior in deed. That should be highly appreciated here. Another big salute for all of them led by Ven. Walasmulle Jinarathana Thero.
5. Finally I have a suggestion here that this kind of socio-economic support and rehabilitation should be started at the level of discharging from hospital and the hospital staff is the best primary persons to initiate a rehabilitation program for a patient. They can contact government and non-government organizations at official level and introduce them, people like these to start a appropriate socio-economic rehabilitation program. If it is done in that manner, no human being has to undergo such unnecessary suffering of this nature.

This project is highly taken up by many, all over the world now and I hope this will be an eye opener for many others who can do something for needy people but not yet started so far. Sincerely I thank all the friends who contributed for this project to make this valuable effort a success and hope that we would get their helping hand further.

And at last I request all my friends to direct their mettha and blessings to this patient for a better and fast recovery from all problems she suffers and My best wishes and thanks goes to the members of this "Kalyana Mithra" group led by Ven. Walasmulle Jinarathana Thero.

May all what is done become a success.

SHE WILL BE CURED & RECOVERED COMPLETELY.

Dr.Dhammika Perera (M B B S)

 

Ms. Sangeetha Weerarathne, Actress

October 16, 2011

Yesterday I spent many hours at mrs Karunawathie's bedside talking to her about the teachings of our lord Buddha.trying to console her and to let her know she is not alone in this predicament. I believe Mrs Karunawathie is a living example of the teachings of our lord Buddha, that our bodies are subject to deterioration and decay,even though we have always associated it with death.

Mrs Karunawathie's illness opened my eyes to the fact that our karma follows us. The good the bad we do, will always have a result. If not in this life then somewhere in this journey through samsara.

I believe she is a strong woman- but the pitiful state of her disease (?) brings out the innate desire most of our Sri lankans have to comfort and console those in need. Specially the Reverent Walasmulle Ginarathana thero who was instrumental in bringing her to Colombo to get her medically treated and is still helping her in innumerable ways.

I ask all of you out there to visit her with a word of comfort and encouragement, some thing she needs to give her solace.

I also take this opportunity to appreciate the valiant effort her son has made as the sole care-giver to look after her sacrificing his job even though he is in dire financial straits.

Sangeetha Weerarathne

 

Dr. Piyal Walpola, Canada

October 15, 2011

My dear friends,

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have got an opportunity to be involved in this project to help this unfortunate lady Mrs. Karunawathi, along with a number of other friends from all over the world. I was told that Mrs. Karunawathiwas diagnosed with this rare form of disease called Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) almost a year ago. This disease is also known as "flesh eating" disease and from the information I gathered form my friend in Sri Lanka, I believe she is now in a convalescent stage.

When Ven.Walasmullae Jinarathana contacted us on the phone after hearing about her from a friend, my wife and I offered to send some money immediately. We requested for more pictures of her as Ven Jinarathana was going to see her that week. According to Ven. Jinarathana, Mrs. Karunawathi's son Suranga, had been cleaning and dressing the wounds at home for almost a year after she was discharged from the hospital. Somehow Mrs. Karunawathi had the will and the courage to survive with the help of her loving son Suranga. When Ven. Jinarathana and his team of "KalyanaMithra" arrived at her hometown they sent us more pictures of her. I was so sad and dismayed by the amount of destruction caused by this disease.

It is hard to imagine the untold suffering of Mrs. Karunawathi and her son. I am so happy that she is in good hands at The National Hospital Colombo, getting proper care and nutrition to regain her strength. Dr. Dulip Perera, a leading consultant plastic surgeon in Colombo, has kindly offered to help her with facial reconstructive surgery. Our long-term goal is to get her well and have her safely return to her hometown.

I sincerely thank all the kind and compassionate people from all over the world who have already donated money and for the precious time they have dedicated towards this worthy cause. Mrs. Karunawathi could have been a mother or a sister of ours in a previous life. Buddha once said, "Helping a sick person is just like helping me." We are all very fortunate to be able to participate in this great meritorious deed in helping Mrs. Karunawathi gain her health back.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Sisira Amarasinghe (MN, USA) and Mr. Upula Sudath Mudalige (Sri Lanka) for creating this wonderful website, helping with all the updates and maintaining the PayPal account.

I would like to share merits and send a very special appreciation of gratitude to Ven. Jinarathana for initiating this project and getting all of us together to help Mrs. Karunawathi. This project would not have been possible if not for his dedication and compassion towards others.

May you all be well, happy and peaceful as a result of this good kamma- here and now.

With Mettha,

Piyal Walpola, MD, PhD, Toronto, Canada