Poor cancer patient struggling to find money to buy his medicines

Life is a painful battle for Jagath Prasanna, a cancer patient with two school-going children struggling to eke out an existence.

As he has undergone bilateral cervical block dissection (total thyroidectomy) at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital, he is no longer able to work to provide for his family.

To keep the home fires burning, his wife works as a kitchen helper in the canteen of a company in Katunayake. Even the daily wage she earns is hardly sufficient to make ends meet particularly with two children to look after.

Jagath’s elder son is studying for his GCE (Ordinary Level) examination, while the younger boy is still in grade nine.

There was a time when he was given his medicines free of charge by the hospital, but now he has been asked to buy them from outside, which costs him Rs. 8,500/- per month, a luxury he cannot afford with the meagre daily wage his wife earns.

One of his kidneys is also dysfunctional and he was administered a course of injections during a three-week stay in a government hospital recently.

“I will not live long if I don’t take the prescribed medicines”, Jagath says.

“My biggest worry is the fate that will befall my family if I die as both my children are still studying”, he said.

Those eager to help this poor cancer patient can credit their contributions to Account No. 8330027439, Commercial Bank, Minuwangoda, in favor of R. P. K. Jagath Prasanna. His address is: No. 515/01, Arangawa, Horampella, Minuwangoda. Jagath can be contacted on 0776135064.