Help needed for scoliosis patient

Four- year- old, Hirushan Jagodage escorted by his parents called over at the Lake House reception last week to make a plea.

At first glance with could not read what his predicament was. We were puzzled.

He is a lively and active little boy with a mischievous demeanour like any other boy of his age.

He would nag his father asking for the new pen in his hand and pester his worried looking mother for something else.

The only moment of calmness was when our staff photographer made an appearance armed with a camera wanting to capture an image of the little boy. He responded like a professional model and the photographer was relieved to finish his job in one go. The expected poses were duly taken.

The only give away to his illness was the slight tilt Hirushan showed when he stood up.

The little boy has a rare medical condition called Congenital Thoracic Scoliosis - which is a spinal deformity that causes his spine to grow in a twisted manner.

In his case the spine is curved to the left.

His condition could become fatal when Hirushna grows older. The doctors have said the curve may press his lungs and other internal organs.

Although this medical condition is usually detected at the later stage of development in Hirushan's case he was lucky that the parents were able to detect the abnormality when he was just a few months old.

According to doctors advice the parents made him wear a special jacket and under go physiotherapy for the past four years to make the growth in his spine normal but as the doctors feared, his condition did not improve.

The parents had been in an out of hospitals for the past four years, looking for a low cost cure for their son. Meanwhile the child was referred to a team of visiting Indian Doctors.

It has now been advised by Chief Spine Surgeon Dr.Sajan K. Hedge to perform the surgery at Appollo Hospital in Chennai. Facilities for such surgeries in Sri Lanka are rare.

According to the doctors the surgery and the connected expenses will amount to Indian RS.400,000.

This is excluding the expenses for a guardian to accompany the child to India. The child needs to undergo surgical intervention every six months till he is ten years, after the operation.

Hirurushan's parents have no, permanent income and have another daughter to fend for. They have turned to kind donors to help them cure their little son.

The contributions can be credited to the child's father J.J.Maithreedasa at People's Bank A/C No. 271200190040509 (Urubokka Branch) or Hatton National Bank A/C No.199020022960 (Urubokka Branch).

The family can be contacted on TP. 0712859552