Business
Apollo Proton Cancer Centre announces availability of Proton Therapy
India’s Apollo Proton Cancer Centre on Friday announced the availability of Proton Therapy treatment for Sri Lanka-based patients at its state-of-the-art facility in Chennai.During a press conference held at the Hilton Colombo Residences in Colombo, representatives of Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) – the first and only Proton Therapy Centre in South Asia and the Middle East – shed lights on the importance of Proton Therapy for improving outcomes of cancer treatment and quality survivorship.
APCC, India’s first JCI accredited Cancer hospital, also revealed that the facility had recently performed a complex treatment on Sri Lankan male for a rare form of liver cancer.
It was revealed that the Sri Lankan patient, Jayantha Pushpa Kumara Gamage, a 65-year-old, was treated with intensity-modulated proton beam therapy (IMPT) for Recurrent Oligometastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma, at the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) in Chennai, India, the most advanced Cancer Centre and the first Proton Therapy Centre in South Asia & the Middle East.
Gamage was diagnosed with recurrent oligometastatic hepatocellular carcinoma in the retroperitoneal region. After failed treatments with TACE, Lenvatinib, and Regorafenib, he was referred to APCC for proton therapy. Post a detailed preplanning audit, intensity-modulated proton therapy was advice and implemented successfully.
Dr Sapna Nangia, Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, said, “I’ve seen significant advantages of proton beam therapy over traditional radiation treatments at Apollo Proton Cancer Center. By precisely targeting tumours with a focused beam of high-energy protons, we can spare healthy surrounding tissues and minimize the risk of collateral damage, particularly in vital organs and sensitive areas. This approach can translate to improved outcomes for patients, including better cancer control rates, reduced risk of side effects, and overall enhanced quality of life.”
On being treated at APCC, Gamage said, “Going through cancer treatment is never easy, but thanks to the incredible team at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, I feel like I have my life back. After failed treatments, proton therapy was my last hope, and it worked wonders for me. The staff was incredibly kind and supportive throughout the process, and I can’t thank the team of experts and other members of the team for their dedication and expertise. I’m so grateful to be able to live my life again with minimal symptoms, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
The major advantage of proton therapy treatment is that protons slowly deposit their energy as they travel towards the cancerous tumour and deposit most of the radiation dose directly into the tumour without damaging the body further thus maintaining healthy tissues and organs without any complications. Proton therapy has been shown to have excellent local control of various cancers located in some of the most difficult areas such as skull-base regions of the body which are otherwise difficult to treat. The latest breakthroughs in this technology including pencil beam scanning, highly precise image guidance and tremendous refinements in the machine set-up, have led to the adoption of this technology throughout the world in hospital settings.
Proton therapy is being encouragingly adopted for the treatment of various cancers such as brain and spine tumours, skull base tumours, oral cancers, gastro-intestinal cancers, bone and soft tissue tumours, breast cancers, thoracic cancers (lung cancer), genitourinary cancers (prostate cancer) and predominantly in paediatric cancers except for leukaemia.
APCC boasts a state-of-the-art Cancer Surgery Unit that provides specialized 360-degree care using the latest technology systems for complex surgeries. With an unwavering commitment to ensuring an exceptional patient experience, the centre leverages cutting-edge treatment options to deliver world-class care.
The centre is dedicated to improving patient outcomes through research, innovation, and collaboration with other leading cancer institutions around the world. Patients receive high-quality, compassionate care in a supportive and healing environment, making the APCC a premier destination for cancer treatment.
APCC’s cancer management teams (CMT) are formed by highly skilled professionals and each CMT is focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for its patients. An added feather in the cap is the recent launch of India’s first & only site-specific Robotic Oncology Program.
Ceylinco Life has been declared the ‘Best Life Insurance Company in Sri Lanka’ in 2024 by World Finance, an accolade that company has won for the 11th consecutive year.
The only life insurance company in Sri Lanka to consistently win this prestigious award, Ceylinco Life is in the company of other 2024 country winners of the calibre of MassMutual (USA), Canada Life (Canada), TAL (Australia), Swiss Life (Switzerland), CNP Assurances (France), China Life Insurance Group (China), Nippon Life Insurance (Japan), Max Life Insurance (India), and National Life Insurance (Bangladesh).
Commenting on its Insurance Awards, World Finance noted that navigating the complex changes across the globe to balance risk and affordability is a key issue for the winners of the World Finance Insurance awards. “This year, we recognise the trailblazers driving the insurance industry forward, showcasing the dedication and creativity that define the profession,” the magazine said.
The World Finance award recognises Ceylinco Life as an organisation that is committed to continuously improving its overall processes, efficiency and relationships to serve customers better.
Winners are chosen after a stringent assessment of multiple aspects of operational performance including underwriting processes and process efficiency; policy maintenance – the process of reviewing clients’ policies, appropriateness of coverage and cost per policy; exposure to risk; customer retention rate; time taken to settle claims; new customer acquisition rate and financial stability – Premium Income, Market share, Life Fund and company profits.
The World Finance Awards judging panel represents the expertise of over 230 years of financial and business journalism, supported by a research team that works round the clock to ensure the award winners are the most deserving in their sector. Additionally, reader insight and experience are relied upon to provide nominations. The judging panel is required to avoid bias towards criteria such as depth of practice and size of the company, in order to get an insight into different geographies and niche areas.
World Finance is a print and online magazine providing comprehensive coverage and analysis of the financial industry, international business and the global economy. The magazine targets an audience of finance professionals and corporate and private investors, but its lucid voice makes it intelligible and essential reading for anybody who wants to understand the machinations of finance in the 21st century. Established in 2007, World Finance’s awards programmes are tailored to provide a comprehensive analysis of the very best in each market.
Adjudged Sri Lanka’s Brand of the Year in 2022 and 2023, Ceylinco Life was also named one of the 10 Most Admired Companies in Sri Lanka in 2023 by the International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and was ranked the ‘Most Valuable Insurance Brand in Sri Lanka’ across both life and general insurance categories in 2023 by Brand Finance.
Ceylinco Life has been the country’s leading life insurer for 20 of the 37 years it has been in existence and provides innovative life insurance solutions which offer protection while de-risking the goals and ambitions of the Company’s policyholders.
Text and pictures by PRIYAN DE SILVA
Araliya Packing Lanka (Pvt) Limited, a subsidiary of the Araliya Group of Companies, recently commissioned its upgraded laboratory facility at its factory in Polonnaruwa. The state-of-the-art facility marks a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality, eco-friendly packaging solutions.
Established in 2021, Araliya Packing was initially created to provide affordable and comprehensive packaging solutions for the group’s flagship product, Araliya Rice. Staying true to its vision of “delivering eco-friendly packaging technology developed with a unique Sri Lankan identity to the world,” the company has since expanded its services to cater to other market leaders in the industry.
The newly upgraded laboratory is equipped with the latest testing equipment, ensuring the superior quality of its packaging solutions, which include a range of innovative non-woven bags. This investment underscores Araliya Packing’s dedication to maintaining high standards and meeting the evolving demands of its clients.
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon is joining hands with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and government partners to improve preschool education in Sri Lanka.The Bank will support the improvement of a pre-school in the Moneragala District in the Uva Province, as a contribution to UNICEF’s work to support government partners to improve preschool education. The partnership will contribute to the Province’s efforts to provide safer, more equitable, quality preschool learning environments.
The programme will include updating and refurbishing the entire school and equipping it with quality furniture and teaching-learning items.
Since 2022, UNICEF with funding from its partners has supported the Provincial Offices of Uva and Central to improve the learning environments of 40 preschools in remote areas.
This private-public partnership represents a new model for bringing partners together to strengthen early childhood education and foster the development of young learners by reaching the most marginalized with quality preschool education.
Education is one of the principal focal points of Commercial Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments. Within this, the Bank’s largest contribution is towards digital technology education in Sri Lanka. The Bank has donated 362 IT labs to schools across all 25 districts of Sri Lanka and has also supported a project to set up 176 classrooms that focus on the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. Additionally, the Bank was a key partner in the national Smart Schools initiative where 165 schools were equipped with digital learning facilities. The Bank’s “Sipnena” online portal contains digitized school curriculum content, complete with practical videos and presentations to facilitate easy learning for students.
Commercial Bank is the first Sri Lankan bank to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World and has the highest market capitalization in the Banking Sector in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The Bank is the largest lender to Sri Lanka’s SME sector, is a leader in digital innovation and is Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon neutral bank. Commercial Bank operates a strategically located network of branches and automated machines island-wide, and has the widest international footprint among Sri Lankan banks, with 20 outlets in Bangladesh, a Microfinance company in Myanmar, and a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake in the Maldives. The Bank’s fully owned subsidiary CBC Finance Ltd. also delivers a wide range of financial services via its own branch network.
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything it does. Together with partners, UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF Sri Lanka, visit www.unicef.lk.
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