“Your contributions will help make a difference in their lives…”

Cancer treatment is a demanding social issue, which needs urgent attention in Sri Lanka, and NDB Bank has taken up this challenge by setting up the NDB Bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund to assist poverty stricken Cancer patients and Cancer Hospitals on a need basis. NDB Bank has already taken the first step of making an initial contribution of Rs 3.5 million to start the Fund as part of a major CSR initiative.

The objectives in establishing the Trust Fund is to give financial and other assistance to cancer patients who are unable to afford their medical expenses as well as to assist and maintain the well being of the patients at the cancer hospital.

Non-availability of funds for recurring Capital & Working Capital Requirements is a serious drawback in treating cancer patients. Although the Government provides these medical requirements, the need is so great that in most instances they are in short supply and the patient has to purchase these from their own funds. This is a huge cost burden for the patient and his/her family especially if they are a low-income family with major repercussions if the patient is the breadwinner of the family.

>> Trustees
>> Auditors
>> Success Stories
>> Contributions
>> Current Activities

Trustees     (Return to Top)
1. Mr Russell de Mel - Chief Executive Officer, NDB Bank (Ex Officio Trustee)
2. Dr Indranee Amarasinghe - Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Cancer Hospital Maharagama (Ex Officio Trustee)
3. Mr Nihal Welikala - Former Chief Executive Officer, NDB Bank (External Trustee)
4. Ms Sharon De Silva - Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, NDB Bank (Ex Officio Trustee)
5. Ms Vidisha Jayawardena – Manager, Legal, NDB Bank (Staff Member)

Auditors     (Return to Top)
The NDB Bank's auditors, M/s Ernst and Young are the auditors of the Fund.

Donations Made    
The NDB Bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund has already donated a sum of approximately rupees four million towards the purchase of essential items such as GIA staplers, Liner Cutter Reloads, CRE balloons Dilators, Double Luman Endobronchial Tubes and Hickman's Lines which have benefited a large number of patients at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital.

Success Stories     (Return to Top)
The Trust Fund has donated many essential items to date and during this short period hundreds of patients have benefited from these items with many success stories. These patients started out with no hope but thanks to the generous donations from the NDB Bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund their stories had a happy ending. We share 3 such stories with you.

• Gimasha Jithmini, a 4 year old child living in Pubudugama, Mulleriyawa; developed a strange abdominal pain associated with an abdominal mass.
• She was diagnosed of a malignant cancer in both ovaries and underwent surgery to remove both her ovaries. Since these cancers were highly malignant she needed chemotherapy to counteract the cancer cells, which were in her system.
• Cancer Chemotherapy drugs are usually delivered through a vein. In children it is very difficult to find a suitable vein and that too tends to get destroyed by the first dose of chemotherapy. Administering chemotherapy in this manner to a child is extremely painful and traumatic for the child, as he/she has to be pricked repeatedly in order to locate the vein. Hence, a long acting central venous line (Hickman’s Line) is recommended to administer chemotherapy in children. However, the cost of a Hickman’s Line ranges from Rs. 20,000/- to Rs. 50,000/-, which is unaffordable to most underprivileged families.
• Gimasha Githmini’s father is a mason and is the sole breadwinner of the family with a meagre income of around Rs 8,000/- to Rs 12,000/- per month. This too is also not on a regular basis. These parents were helpless in saving their only child who desperately needed a Hickman’s line to deliver her chemotherapy.
• Their dilemma was solved when the NDB Bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund donated Hickman’s Lines to the National Cancer Institute Maharagama. Gimasha was able to get her chemotherapy treatment without any trauma and is now recovering from the disease.
• Her Smile tells not only her story but of hundreds of children who were beneficiaries of the NDB Bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund.

• Pradeepa is a young mother of 2 from Mannar. Her husband is a poor labourer and the meagre income he earns is barely sufficient to clothe and feed his family.
• Pradeepa was pregnant when diagnosed with Carcinoma Rectum Cancer in June 2007. However Pradeepa refused to undergo the operation, as she couldn't afford to purchase the "Staplers" which was essential for her therapy.
• A Stapler kit, which cost Rs 15,000/-, was way beyond her means. The only alternative was to undergo the operation and have a permanent bag connected to her body to drain and collect all bodily waste.
• This young mother knew she couldn't endure this terrible discomfort and trauma and therefore opted to suffer knowing that her condition would only get worse and soon reach a critical stage.
• Meanwhile NDB Bank established the Cancer Aid Trust Fund in October 2007 and the 1st items donated were the Stapler Kits. Pradeepa who suffered for over 6 months was finally able to undergo the operation, which was a success.
• She is now on the road to recovery and eagerly waiting to get back to her normal day to day domestic activities. The generous donation from the NDB Bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund has given this young mother a new lease of life and she now faces the future with a smile on her face and a heart full of hope.

• Sirikumara is a young soldier and father of 2. He was diagnosed with a stricture last year.
• Once the operation was done Sirikumara was unable to eat or drink as his throat passage had closed up. The only way he could get some relief was to open up his throat passage by using a Balloon Dilator, which cost Rs 45,000/- per treatment.
• However his income was not sufficient to afford this. The only alternative was to re-use a dilator of another patient, which was extremely dangerous as he could get infected.
• Sirikumara was in dire straits when the NDB Bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund donated much needed Balloon Dilators and he could finally get some relief. He is very grateful for this as his very survival depended on it.
• There are people from rural areas who cannot even afford the bus fare to travel to Maharagama and receive this treatment. Therefore it is our responsibility to make sure that their basic human rights of eating and drinking can be fulfilled.

“You can help change their lives! ”

Contributions     (Return to Top)

We have all had some experience with cancer patients and at one time or another; we’ve seen the desperate look in a cancer patients eyes, the fear and hopelessness reflected in their faces. We’ve seen it and kept wishing that we could ease their pain in some way. We invite you to be a part of our mission in alleviating the pain of cancer patients and contributing to their well-being. Together we can make a difference.

Donors willing to contribute towards the Fund may do so by
i. Crediting Account No: 001001003358 from any NDB Branch or
ii. Sending in Cheques drawn in favour of “NDB bank Cancer Aid Trust Fund”.

All receipts of the contributions will be acknowledged.
Please provide the following information,
   Name:
   Address:
   Contact No:
   Amount Donated:
   Date:
   NDB Bank Branch Credited:

and register post to:
                 Manager - CSR,
                 National Development Bank PLC,
                 No: 40, Navam Mawatha,
                 Colombo 02.

Contributions of any amount will help lighten up the lives of those suffering from cancer.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further clarification on contributions/donations
on our 24 hr Call Centre Hotline 2 448 888.

Current Activities     (Return to Top)
* On going funding of working capital needs.
Urgent items identified by the Fund for disbursement during the current year includes

* Funding selected capital expenditure programs