The Foundation of Goodness is a holistic rural development model that seeks to bridge the urban-rural divide in Sri Lanka via 10 empowerment divisions across 850+ villages island-wide, and reached over 135,000+ beneficiaries in 2023 alone by way of 20 Empowerment Centres, free of cost.
Breast Cancer Care Workshop with Australian and Sri Lankan Medical Resource Persons for Sri Lankan Nurses
Tides of Peace, Bridging the North and the South: Visit of the Manipay Local Council
March 21, 2019
From Coral Miners to Coral Planters: A Journey to Save the Coral Reef of Seenigama
April 2, 2019
Zonta Club II in partnership with Foundation of Goodness (FoG) and FoG Trustee Mahela Jayawardena collaborated with the ‘Australian Medical Team’ for a Breast Cancer Care Workshop.
The Workshop was led by Dr. Sujatha Samarakoon and supported by several other prominent Sri Lankan medical professionals like Dr. Ajith de Silva, Senior Consultant Surgeon of National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Dr. Kanishka de Silva, Senior Oncology and Dr. Parthipan Ariyathurai, Oncology Surgeon National Cancer Institute Maharagama.
Ms. Ann Selle of the Botany Bay Zonta Club in Australia first became known when she developed and pioneered the Post Surgery Breast Cushion, which is widely distributed to patients in many parts of Australia and Sri Lanka.
Ann Selle was back in Sri Lanka for the workshop bringing with her two other resource persons: Associate Professor Meaghan Brennan, FA, SBP (Phd) Breast Physician, West Mead Breast Cancer Institute, New South Wales and Breast care Nurse Educator and Clinical Nurse Consultant, Ms. Kim Kevin Ayres, RN, BN, MNC (Oncology) Sydney.
48 nurses gathered with great enthusiasm from all Provinces, representing oncology wards of hospitals around the island and from many Breast Clinics as well.
The two day workshop saw energetic discussions, debates, role-play, quizzes, demonstrations and myth busters.
The importance of early detection in diagnosis and management of breast pathology was a key feature with an exercise in self-examination.
Other areas of study ranged from the complexities of diagnosis to handling disclosure to patients, self-examination, pre-operative counselling, breast conservation surgery and family counselling. The informative session helped expand the knowledge base for the nurses. Each participant received a training manual and literature on breast cancer nursing for future reference.
‘I believe the Deputy Director General Non-Communicable Diseases sees how this interaction helps Medical teams re-evaluate and revitalise Breast Cancer Nursing Care in an organised way for patients, across the country. In fact we are so gratified to note that a group of Doctors will get together to draw up a plan for Master Trainers to move forward. And the nurses are aiming at organising an “Association of Breast Care Nurses” with the full support of the NCCP.’ said Zontian Dr. Sujatha Samarakoon speaking on the effectiveness of the workshop.
The Foundation of Goodness together with the Zonta Club believes that these sessions will revitalize Breast Cancer Care while pledging to be watchful and supportive of the wonderful team of nurses we are now so effectively connected with.
