Correspondance

In our opinion, at this time we do not need clinical lectures -although we requested in the past. Some kind of entertainment would be more in line. Thanks to every one who is working hard to make our gettogether a success.
Lalith and Shanthi Fernando

A joyful part of any trip is the preparation and more suggestions and comments is fun Daya jayasinghe.

Email :- philavi@sltnet.lk

My comments re "attempting to please everybody" were made tongue-in-cheek! I found the suggestion for a lecture to follow clinical sessions and other such grave indoor activities rather amusing. Especially after a lifetime of giving and receiving lectures!! Also, One must keep in mind Bill Cosby's great quote "The attempt to please all is the surest road to disaster". Anyone thinking of having fun on your 50th.Anniversary weekend ? On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 4:53 PM, <Csn48@aol.com> wrote: Philip, I would like to second the idea. Since many of us may have retired one or two speakers from outside the rofession may liven things up. Asoka Dissanayake Wonderful to hear the various comments at least to note some of our batch mates are still able to think sane, awake and not in a confessional state. It must be humanly impossible to please everyone but would be worthwhile if we can please the majority as indicated. To me, the important thing is the opportunity for most of to 'meet & greet' How we spend our time once we are together would be entirely left to the individuals. The organisers have to put up a 'programme' of sorts which would be appealing to those who are planning to attend. I am so grateful to all those who have shown an interest and a commitment to attend the Get Together. I am also grateful to the Organisers for their efforts to make this event a success. We need more comments- good, bad ugly or indifferent. best wishes Nana Suggestion for the re-union from Dr.Daya JayasingheDear all,You all might want to consider having a guest speaker, or keynote address etc on topics like Veddhas in ceylon,History of medicine in srilanka,Srilankan stockmarket and investmants or Ayurveda medicineand similar topics of interest. In our Gynae meetings we have had Stock market, Bart Cummings on race horses, Lifestyle and retirement etc Best wishes, Daya j./ * Shouldn't we at least *attempt* to please all!! After all keeping a large number of people engrossed, entertained or amused for all of 48 hours minus sleep time is going to be a major problem for the organisers. As for me I would try to catch up on lost time meeting old buddies and generally chilling out.. I have had my fill of old farts spewing hot air. Enough to last a life time and more! However, I once met a retired archaeology dept. person who joined me for a drink at the Polonnaruwa rest House. To cut a long story short, early the very next morning this gentleman took me on a walkabout through the ruins of Polonnaruwa. I have rarely spent a more exhilarating day. He brought old polonnaruwa to life for me. Pointing out and interpreting the evidence easily missed by the casual tourist. It was a fantastic experience. Best Regards Dawood

Trip to Kalatuwewa - 1962

Hello,

Can you identify the boisterous youngsters of 1962? Photo supplied by Sivaraja.

Minutes of committee for get-together - 7/11/2009

lMunuites of the meeting held on 07.11.2009 at the residence of Dr Wedisinghe

Present Dr S.Kapuwatte Chair

Dr K.E.J.de Silva

Dr R.L.Jayakuru

Dr M.P.Wedisinghe

Dr Piyaseeli Wedisinghe

Minutes of the previous meeting was read by Piyaseeli and was adopted.

Dr Kapuwatte said that he will negotiate with the hotel to extend the day of individual booking for rooms to January 2010. Also to make the non refundable deposit to Rs 5000/= per room.

He will also check with Dr Veerasingam whether he has updated his list of contacts , specially the ones living in SL. He will also tell him to handle the job of communications and replies to queries if needed.

Dr Jayakuru said that he has contacted Drug Firms : Aventis , Baurs, IndoScan,Mega Pharma and Ranbaxy for donations. Dr Wedisinghe to prepare a letter requesting sponsorship from the drug companies and to be sent to Dr Kapuwatte during the course of next week.

It was decided to make a special offer for those who wish to attend for only one day ( on Saturday-3^rd July) of the Reunion.

Details of the offer : Join after breakfast , appear for the Group Photograph, attend Clinical Sessions, and have lunch and leave thereafter. They have the option to join the Gala Dinner if they so desire.

Cost will be Lunch : Rs 1400.00 per person

Gala Dinner Rs 2000.00 -do-

Piyaseeli said that she has forwarded the e mail addresses of Kusuma Amaratunga ,Sunanda Gunaratne and Ariyalatha Pieris to Philip .

The querry from Dr Mervyn Joseph’s widow was discussed . Mervin Joseph has joined our batch at a later date. It was decided to allow his widow and family to be invited as guests of Dr Daya orDr Gamini Jayasinghe as requested.

Suggestion re Reunion from Dr.Daya Jayasinghe.

Dear all,You all might want to consider having a guest speaker, or keynote address etc on topics like Veddhas in ceylon,History of medicine in srilanka,Srilankan stockmarket and investmants or Ayurveda medicineand similar topics of interest.
In our Gynae meetings we have had Stock market, Bart Cummings on race horses, Lifestyle and retirement etc Best wishes, Daya j.

1960 Medicoes ReUnion, Ad Hoc Group in UK for networking

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Csn48@aol.com to me

show details 5:22 PM (30 minutes ago)

Dear Philip

Few of our batch mates in UK got together to partly to meet & greet and more importantly to discuss ways of spreading the message to encourage more of our batchmates to attend the ReUnion in July 2010.

Few of us were able to enjoy a delicious Sri Lankan hot buffet meal at a popular Sri Lankan restaurant- Prince of Ceylon in London and share our thoughts about the task in hand.

Once we get an update from the individual members in the group, I would be able to send you a collated list of the batch mates who are planning to attend the Re Union.

We managed to get a photo of the group to share with you guys, just to show what the age does to some of us. What is obvious is that all appeared to be delighted with the ' mini get together'.

Just to avoid any embarrassment I will name them ( from L to R)

Udula, myself, Charmaine, Narada, Pearl,Titus Dissa, Karunapala, Sidney H, and Karals.

Present indications are that we may get about 30 batch mates( + their partners where applicable)

Nana

Asoka Weerasekara - Obituary

Dear Philip

In case some of you had not seen this appreciation in the Sunday Times ( Sri Lanka) dated, 18th Sunday October, I would like this to be shared amongst our batch mates for their information.

Regards

Nana

Kurunegala will fondly remember the ‘bodhisaththa dhosthara mahaththaya’ Dr. W. M. A. E. Weerasekera Dr. W. M. A. E. Weerasekera was a good, dedicated and caring physician who would not accept money from the poor. Friends and relatives called him Asoka. Educated at Ananda College, he obtained his MBBS in Sri Lanka and worked in peripheral hospitals for a few years before proceeding to the UK for further studies, accompanied by his wife, son and daughter. After specialising in otolaryngology or ENT (ear, nose and throat), he returned to Sri Lanka and was posted to the Kurunegala base hospital as the ENT surgeon. The people of Kurunegala and Dambulla called him “Bodhisaththa Dosthara Mahaththaya”. Even after retirement, he continued to visit Kurunegala to see his patients. During his time in Kurunegala, Dr. Weerasekera devised a process to help people who had undergone a certain neck operation after consuming poison or being bitten by a venomous snake. Because such patients find breathing and eating solids difficult, an opening is made in the neck. As long as the opening is there, the patient’s voice is unclear. When the patient wants to speak, he has to cover the opening with a finger to make himself heard. The doctor applied a stent (or tube) to the affected part, secured with a stainless steel wire. This allowed the patient to speak normally. Dr. Weerasekera demonstrated his unique medical procedure at the South Asia Regional Conference (SARC) of ENT surgeons held in Nepal a few years ago. Why this unique system has not been adopted in this country is anybody’s guess. At the age of 72, Dr. Weerasekera was struck by the dreaded disease that everyone fears. As someone who moved very closely with Dr. Weerasekera, I find his loss very hard to bear. Our deepest sympathies go to his ever-loving wife Prema, son Asantha, daughter Himani, daughter-in-law Mellisa, and his grandchildren. Dr. Asoka Weerasekera, may your journey through Sansara be short, and may you achieve the ultimate goal of Nirvana in the shortest possible time. Bandula

A book co-authored by Lakshman Karalliedda

Public health manual scoops book prize

11 September 2009

AN INDISPENSABLE guide to toxicology, prepared by Health Protection Agency and King's College London staff, has won a top book award.

The Essentials of Toxicology for Health Protection: a handbook for field professionals was published in September 2008 by the HPA and was aimed at health protection consultants, public health specialists, environmental health scientists, emergency services, workers in the water and waste industries and other industrial and regulatory bodies.

Put together by the HPA's chemicals and poisons experts in partnership with colleagues from specialist organisations, the idea was to provide an introduction to toxicology as well as how to apply it in real world acute and chronic chemical incidents.

And now the book has been awarded first prize in the Public Health category at the BMA Medical Book of the Year Awards 2009.

Prof Virginia Murray, a Medical Toxicology Consultant and a co-editor of the book who heads up the HPA's chemicals and poisons London team, said: "Competition in this category was fierce and we are delighted to have won.

"This handbook would never have been completed without the dedication and commitment of all the authors and contributors. I am grateful for their thoroughly professional, expert approach to writing a vital handbook that, as the BMA judges said, 'filled a much needed niche perfectly.'

"I am very proud to be part of such a great team of enthusiastic and talented toxicologists and scientists."

A reviewer in the BMA award programme booklet described the HPA publication as an 'ideal general introduction' to public health and health protection and praised its layout.

Justin McCracken, Chief Executive of the Health Protection Agency, said: "It is an honour to have won this prestigious award and we are very proud of our team's achievement."

Notes to Editors

• The book is available to buy through the HPA website. Visit http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/Publications/BookshopItems/ for details.
• The Chemical Hazards and Poisons Division is part of the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards.
• The annual BMA Medical Book of the Year Awards were held on Tuesday evening in London and prizes were handed out in 26 categories.
• For more information contact Matthew Pardo on 01235 822745.
  

Last reviewed: 11 September 2009