email from Karals

Lakshman Karalliedde to dayanalini2, me, taboebia

show details 18:41 (11 hours ago)

Dear nalini-those days good girl , now old girl- I was made aware of the thorough investigation made by you-as to be expected, and you do deserve to be commended-highly commended. This would enable each one to assist in his or her chosen manner, Well done, Karals

email reply from Nalini

daya & nalini rodrigo to me

show details 12:14 (5 hours ago)

Thanks Dawood. I do need more strength in my elbow - now that I have to carry two grand daughters! Daya double checked to see who's calling me "girl" - and not "old girl"!
Anyway after all the undeserved compliments I thought I'd better really do some research. So I spoke to :

1. The Librarian Miss Kuruppu who said they need more books, journals & if finances allow - an updated computer.
They have 24 computers in the library but some of them are used by the library staff. Students use them till 8pm. There is always a demand & the computers are now quite old & very slow. Hence the need for a state of the art one!
They order the core journals each year (BMJ, NEJM, Lancet, Surgery, Medicine, NMJ - 1 of each) which cost a staggering Rs 3 million a year! They would also like to have journals such as Social Science & Medicine & books like Kumar & Clarke.
The Library also has a separate ledger account where money can be donated for books.

2. Representatives from the Buddhist Brotherhood, FOCUS & Catholic Students Union who accept second hand books to be distributed among their needy students.

3. Student Sponsorships : About 25 new students qualify for sponsorships each year. The 2010 batch is expected to be admitted soon.

Food for thought :

1. If each of us brings just one book for the library that would be a whole load of books! They neednt be brand new - so long as its not an outdated edition. Last years BNFs would also be welcome.
2. Journals too - again not too old.
3. Maybe we could sponsor a few students - thats just $15 per month/student.

Nalini

email from Dawood

F.Dawood to me

show details 20:35 (9 hours ago)

Thank you Nalini for your response.
It provides a definite sense of direction.!
As always well researched and pragmatic.
The naming of areas requiring assistance, especially,
makes the project convincingly "doable"!
This I must say has been Nalini's forte.
More strength to your elbow girl!!
Best
Dawood

e.mail from Nalini

Daya & nalini rodrigo to me

show details 10:20 (35 minutes ago)

Dear All,
I must say its been very interesting reading the e-mails these days & very heartening to see the enthusiasm generated & suggestions from Daya, Nana, Tissa, Karals, Dawood & others. Ranee's "dig deep" for our Alma Mater was also very touching!
After Bernard's query re scope & specific projects, I thought it was time to contact Prof Harsha Seneviratne (Dean) regarding the current needs.
He was very enthusiastic, but warned us that there have been several attempts at forming Alumni Associations in the past but as there was no proper Chairperson & committee - they all generally fizzled out. So it seems important to get our act together on that first.
He said there were dire needs in the following areas :
1) Academic (contact person Rohan Jayasekera)
2) Structural (the front lobby needs sprucing up)
3) Student Welfare which was being handled very well by Priyadharshini Gallappatti. A needs assessment is done & the deserving students are assigned a sponsor & get Rs. 1500 per month from their sponsors (which is hardly sufficient, but something!).
4) The Medical Education Unit (MEDARC) run by Indika Karunatilleke also needs equipment, mannekins, etc.
5) The Library needs books & journals - very specially journals which have become a very costly item.

The Faculty of Medicine Colombo has a website from which we could obtain more information.

Harsha said he could give more specific information & suggestions if we could indicate something of our financial commitment to this - lakhs, millions or billions!! He said there have been several proposals from alumni in the past which didnt go through due to a lack of finances. Hope this doesnt happen to us too!
Nalini

email from Bernard De Silva

Any idea, what the scope of the activities are/

Any specific projects,

Or base on what we know best,

Use our education to help as much as we can,

For as long as we can?

How many can we solicit for help in consults in the south,

1-2 weeks or less at a time.

Some can afford to pay for services,

To be used ,if possible to provide more services. to the less endowed and to cover other pro bono work.

Many of us can bring medicines and other supplies,

And also solicit more samples and drugs to be contributed

By the pharmaceutical companies,

Not for sale, but for donation only.

A mobile service to be manned by the less disabled of us,

And run in rotation, along main roads,

With regular mobile clinics

To meet the needs of those who cannot or will not reach the fixed locations.

The north, north eat, southern coastal belt

Could be in need of more work,

At least until these areas turn economically and are more self sufficient.

We can convert a truck chasis,or import motor home or other vehicle.

email from Ranee Wijesurendra

Dear Daya,

I heartily support your idea to commemorate our Anniversary Gathering this year.Some form of local charitable assistance would be of lasting benefit. " Hard " labour is now beyond me, but i will dig deep tohelp.

Kind regards,

Ranee Wijesurendra.

raneew37@waitrose.com

email from Dawood

Hello all,

A suggestion from Daya has enthused many.

Responses from Tissa, Karals, Nana (of course!), Derryck are on record.

It seems to me that what is mooted is an Alumni Association.

Pardon me for being stupid, But don't we already have thenucleus of one with a website to boot!

Thanks to the early efforts of Phiilip Veerasingham, Tissa Kappagoda et al.

What is required now is to get cracking:

1. Define Objectives.

2.Outline an Administrative structure. Fine Tune the existing Organisation.

3. Appoint a CEO/Council to attend to individual tasks - Phillip Tissa Duru Kapuwatte Buddhi Nana

4.Find A Home

5.. Communicate within and without the Organisation / Sri Lanka

6.To manage finances- Buidges, incomings, disbursements,taxation etc

etc etc, I see no need to labour the issue!!

Blow me down, if needs be!

Best Regards

Dawood