TRAIL to build cancer hospital in Galle

TRAIL, a crowd-funded charitable initiative, that raised USD 2.2m in 2011 for the construction of the nation's second specialized cancer hospital in Jaffna, is set to resume again with 'Walk. Unite. Heal.' in October with the goal of building a USD 5m hospital in Galle, said TRAIL founders Nathan Sivagananathan and Sarinda Unamboowe at the launch hosted by The Colours of Courage Trust (a trust supporting Trail and other national initiatives against cancer) at Warehouse D, Park Street Mews recently.

The founders said, "Our walk from Dondra Head to Point Pedro in 2011 really was nothing short of life changing. We learned so much about our country, its people and ourselves. As we completed that first journey, we turned to each other with the same thought - that we must next walk for our brothers and sisters in the South."

Previous Trail Ambassadors Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayawardena have already recommited to the cause, pledging to walk the full length of the journey in 2016.

Trail in 2016 will see walkers beginning the route at Point Pedro and head towards Dondra Head over 28 days with walkers covering around 23 km a day. Participants can sign up to walk at their ability - joining for one day, three days, the whole walk, or even join as a virtual walker. Registration details and monetary or in-kind donations towards Trail in 2016 can be found on the organization's newly refreshed website - www.trailsl.com.

Twelve previous Trail Blazers - the men and women who completed the entire 2011 walk were also present.

Trail's local and international celebrity ambassadors in addition to Kumar and Mahela were Jacqueline Fernandez, Otara Gunewardene, Yureni Noshika and Natalie and Nadiya Anderson (of Amazing Race and Survivor fame representing Trail in the US).

The launch featured a curated exhibition of photographs taken during the first Trail, and photographs of the completed hospital.