CLUB NEWS - Compiled by Beverley Jansz

Wattala City Lions induct new members

Lions Club of Wattala,District 306 B1, inducted25 new members at a glit-tering ceremony held atRaja Bojun Hotel,Mahabage, Wattala.

In the Lionistic history inSri Lanka, this is the firsttime that a new club induct-ed 25, including four LadyLions Members to it Den,said President Lions Clubof Wattala City Lion MeoanAlgama.

The induction ceremonywas conducted by DistrictGovernor, 306B1, Lion S.Rajahavan Zone Chairper-son and finding Lion Dr.Seba Jayamaha and Exten-sion Chairperson, LionLakshman Wijesingheattended the ceremony.

Most of the new memberswere sponsored by ClubPresident, Lion Dinesh Per-era. His main goal this yearwas to find 25 civic mindedpeople from the communityand induct them into theden.

Majority of members inthis club are under 40 yearsof ago. Lion Dineshbelieves that with 46 mem-bers, the club in a better

position to serve the needyin the community.

“With the support we aregetting from the present

Club, Lions Club of Watta-la, especially from theextension Chairperson,Lion Lakshman Wijesinghe

and zone Chairperson, Dr.Seba Jayamaha, I have nodoubt that this club willreach grater heights in the

Rotary Club of ColomboCancer project

The project to set up aCentre for early detectionand prevention of cancerwas launched by theRotary Club of Colombo,recognising the urgentneed for a dedicatednational facility forscreening , early detectionand prevention of thiskiller disease. The RotaryClub of Colombo alreadyhas several major land-mark initiatives inhealthcare, to its name.These include setting upof the Centre for Preven-tion ofTuberculosis(CNAPT) andthe Sri Lanka Anti Nar-cotics Association(SLANA).

Statistics indicate thateach year over 13000 newcases of cancer are detectedin Sri Lanka , and two out ofthree of these patients even-tually lose their lives to thedisease. It is also a signifi-cant fact that the incidenceof cancer is on the increase.Furthermore over 80 percentof these patients come fromthe rural areas, whilst over60 percent are women.

According to the NationalCancer Control Programme(NCCP), the very high mor-

bidity and mortality of can-cer, is primarily due to thefact that in most cases thedisease is detected only at avery late stage.

The main reason is theabsence of a dedicatednational facility for earlydetection of cancer. It is wellknown ,for instance, thatbreast and cervical cancercan be detected well beforemalignancy sets in and thedisease can be preventedtotally.

For the last three years ,the Rotary Club of Colombo, in co-operation with theNational Cancer ControlProgramme, functioningunder the auspices of theMinistry of Health, has beenmaking available screeningfacilities for early detectionof cancer through their Can-cer Early Detection Centre,set up by the Club, at Nara-henpita. .Despite being openonly five hours each day,the Centre is now well

established in the area andvisited by many who visitto get themselves checked,being more aware of theneed for screening, whilstothers are referred to theCentre by their own Doctor.Up to date several hundredcases, particularly females,have been detected showingsigns requiring furtherinvestigation, many ofwhich have thereafter beenconfirmed as early signs ofcancer. Basic screening is

presently carried out forcancers such as breast andcervical cancer.. However,once a permanent and fullyfledged Centre comes up,more detailed investigationscould be conducted, andmany more cancers could bedetected.

The NCCP presentlyreaches out to the rural areasthrough its Mobile Units andco-ordinates with the Medi-cal Officers of Health Clin-ics in those areas to carryout screening, early detec-tion and prevention activi-ties. In addition, through thepresent Early Detection

Centre, selected high riskgroups in the working pop-ulation mainly women, arebeing targeted in the aware-ness programme conductedon the need for screeningand early detection. Overthe last year, several of suchgroups have been screenedat the Cancer Early Detec-tion Centre, from Govern-ment Institutions as well asthe Private Sector.

This is an ongoing pro-gramme and the NCCP canbe contacted by Businessestablishments with a viewto arranging awareness pro-grammes for prevention of

Cancer, to be conducted attheir work place, as well asto arrange for the employ-ees, particularly females, toundergo basic screening atthe Cancer Early DetectionCentre.

The Rotary Club ofColombo, with the supportof generous donors, hasalready embarked on theconstruction of a permanentCentre, centrally located andeasily accessible to the gen-eral public. This Centre willbe a fully equipped modernfacility carrying out screen-ing, diagnosis, lab investiga-tions, counselling, record

keeping and awareness pro-grammes for prevention.The Club will build andassist to equip the Centre ,which will be operated bythe National Cancer ControlProgramme under the aus-pices of the Ministry ofHealth.

Already a MOU has beensigned with the Ministry forthe smooth functioning andcontinuity of the Centre.Once complete the RotaryClub of Colombo will handover the Centre to the Min-istry, as its gift to the peopleof Sri Lanka.

The Rotaract Club ofColombo, sponsored by theRotary Club of Colombo hasmeanwhile come forward tosupport this project by creat-ing awareness on the vitalneed for screening and earlydetection, through a printedand electronic communica-tion to the public.

In the meantime, theRotary Club of Colombo isappealing to the generosityof the public to support theCancer Early Detection Pro-ject by contributing towardsthe funding of the presentEarly Detection Centreoperations, as well as assist-ing in equipping the newCentre.

Further details can beobtained from ProjectOffice Telephone No.

Nirmali Samaratunga,President, RCC andChairpeson CEDC

CEO, HSBC, David Griffiths hands over a donation from HSBC Cardholders, to thePresident, Rotary Club of Colombo, Rtn. Nirmali Samaratunga towards the funding forthe new National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Centre. Rtn. Tissa Man-nakkara and Rienzie Martinez and Dilhani Yatuwara of the HSBC are also in the pic-ture.

A doctor examines a patient at the centre

Fighting Cancer through early detection

The new members inducted to the club, with President Lion Dinesh Perera, Cabinet Secretary, Lion Calistus Jay-atilleke, and Zone Chairman, Lion Dr. Seba Jayamaha.

Text & pixBeverley Jansz

President, Lions Club of Wattala City, Lion Dinesh Pererapins the Lion Emblem, on his wife, Lion Lady Nisansala.

From left Dist. Chairperson Membership Relation andVice Dist. Governor Candidate Lion LakshmanWijesinghe, Zone Chairperson, Lion Dr. Seba Jaya-manne, Dist. Governor Lion S. Raghavan, Club PresidentLion Dinesh Perera, Cabinet Secretary, Calistus Jay-atilleke, and zone Chairperson, Lion Stephen Leonard.

Lion Ladies Association District 306C2Gift of Home

One of the greatesthumanitarian acts is thegiving a deserving familya home. Lion Sridevi Silvawho is the Chief Coordi-nator for Child Develop-ment and Women’sEmpowerment selected ahighly deserving family offour affected by tsunamidevastation to gift a homeconstructed on a piece ofland they owned in Dehi-wela.

The father in this familyLalith Perera earned thisprivilege by his diligentapplication to the upkeep ofInternational Buddhist Cen-tre in Wellawatte. He and hiswife with their two childrenmoved into their new homewith a simple celebrationwhere the members of theLion Ladies Associationparticipated with many use-ful household gifts thatwould turn this house into ahome. The Patron of theLion Ladies AssociationLion Lalani Baddevithanawas the Chief Guest alongwith District Governor LionDr. Priyanka Baddevithana.Lions Club of Jawatte Sum-mit is home to Lion SrideviSilva and her spouse LionH. Mervin Silva.

Club President RajendraGanesh along with members

of the Club too participatedto appreciate this worthy

Lion Ladies handing over household items to the benefi-ciaries.

House constructed for donation by Project ChairpersonLion Sridevi Silva. First Lady of the District Lion LalaniBaddevithana with recipients.

Following InternationalPresident, Lion Mahen-dra Amarasuriya’s theme“Challenge to Change”Region one of Lions Dis-trict 306A-2, organised amulti-service mega pro-ject under the concept ofDistrict Governor 306A2,Lion Kamal Seneviratne.

It was held atDahanayake grounds, Dehi-wala. The project included

Health Camps, distributionof new spectacles, dentalcamp, Ayurvedic treatmentCamps, Diabetics Aware-ness and Screening Camps,distribution of wheelchairs,processing of birth certifi-cates, Identity Cards, Pass-ports and special IdentityCards to senior citizens,Legal Advice, distributionof school books and uni-form material.

Multi-Service Mega projectLions Dist. 306A2

District Governor, Lion Kamal Seneviratne presenting apair of spectacles to a needy person, Lady Lion, Del-rusha, Suwa Udana District Chairperson, ChandraKatuwawala, Chief Organiser, Region Chairman, Lion S.Sekar, Lion Daya Wijetunge and Lion Indi Katuwawala.

Lions Club of Cosmopolitan and Bellanwila Lion doctors,Dr. Shan Perera and Dr. Pallie examining patients. Also inthe picture are District Governor 306A2, Lion KamalSeneviratne and Lady Lion Delrusha, Region Chairman,Lion S. Sekar, Cosmopolitan President Lion Rasanja deSilva Leo Member from Germany, Leo Annette.

Dr. Nilanthi Wathuliyadda Dentist Therapist of the Dehi-wala Dental Clinic treating children at the Dental Camp.District Governor, Lion Kamal Seneviratne and Lady LionDelrusha, Suwa Udana Progam Chairperson, Lion Chan-dra Katuwawala, Region Chairman S. Sekar, and LeoAnnette from Germany. Pix Beverley Jansz

The results of the 16thannual all island conteston Drug Abuse &HIV/AIDS conducted bythe Lions Club of Dehi-wala North as a districtproject were released bythe Project Chairman LionS. Ramachandran MJF.

The results are as follows:-(1) Topic ‘Youths’ role inbuilding a drug free SriLanka’

Sinhala Medium- 1stMiss. WijesooriyaArachchige Dinusha Nir-mani, Dodangoda MiriswattaMV, Dodangoda. 2nd MissM. Kavisha Lakshani Silva,Potupitiya Maha Vidyalay,Potupitiya, Wadduwa. 3rdMiss C. M. SudharmaJayamini, Mahamaya Balika

Vidyalaya, Maha Nuwara.Tamil Medium- 1st MissMariya Jenat Mariyathas, St.Cecilia’s G. M. V. Batticaloa2nd Miss M. S. F. Rushdha,Al Arafa Muslim Vidyalaya,Pahala Gokaraoya,Nawalapitiya. 3rd MissSivathasan Kajhani, St.Xavier’s Girls College, Man-nar.

English Medium- 1stMast. B. H. Indunil Madu-sankha, Kularathna MMV,Godakawela. 2nd Miss Gam-age Sugandima Nishadi Wer-agoda, Holy Cross College,Gampaha. 3rd Miss W. DilmiManushika Perera, St. Paul’sGirls’ school, Milagiriya. (2)Topic: ‘Youths’ responsibili-ty in the prevention of AIDS’

Sinhala Medium- 1st

Miss Kulatunga ArachchigeGayani Kavina Chandrasek-era, Fergusan High School,Ratnapura. 2nd MissPriyankarage TikiriPramothi, Gnanodaya MVKalutara. 3rd Miss K. H. F.Asma, D. S. SenanayakaCentral College, Beruwala.

Tamil Medium- 1st MastR. Rahul, Highlands College,Hatton. 2nd Miss M. Fathi-ma Ristha, Fathima BalikaMV, Oddumavadi. Jt. 3rdMiss A. K. Jismiya,Erukkalampiddy MMV,Palavi Jt. 3rd MissKumaraguru Sinduja, St.Cecilia’s GMV, Batticaloa.

English Medium- Jt. 1stMast NavaratnamKetheesakumaran, ColomboHindu College, Colombo 4.

Jt 1st Mast MohomedLafikhan Mohomed Aajib,Harischandra College,Negombo. 2nd Mast ThahaAdamjee, Zahira College,Colombo 10. 3rd Miss Mad-havi Bhagya Attanayake, St.Joseph’s BMV, Kegalle.

Cash prizes of Rs. 10,000,Rs. 5000 and Rs. 2500together with beautiful tro-phies and certificates will beawarded to the first, secondand third place winnersrespectively (Jt. Winners willshare the prize money equal-ly) at a fitting Awards Cere-mony to be held on Saturday22nd March. District Gover-nor Lion Kamal SeneviratneMJF accompanied by hislady Lion Delrusha willgrace the occasion as the

Lions Dist. 306 A 2 Results of Annual Essay Contest

Lions Clubs of SriJayawardenepura Metro andLions Clubs of Kolonnawadistributed spectacles to theneedy people at a serviceproject held at Kotte.

District Governor 306 C-

1, Lion Hemasiri de Silva isseen presenting a pair ofspectacles to a needy per-son.

Project Chairman, LionQuintus Jayatilleke is also inthe picture.

Lions distribute spectacles