Mathews’ first-hand experience at LRCH inspires him to start a fundraising campaign

Monday, 2 August 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Angelo Mathews

Draws reaction from international cricketers around the world

When former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews’ daughter fell sick in March this year, he had to cut short his tour of the West Indies with the Sri Lanka cricket team and rush home and admit her to Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital.

Thanks largely to the treatment and the care extended to the child at the hospital, she recovered and returned home, much to the relief of the parents.

Mathews, recalling that moment, said: “I hadn’t been to Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital before. That was the first time I went there and I saw how the doctors, nurses and the health care sector took care of the kids. It was amazing the care that everyone gets there, not only us but everyone. It was unbelievable.”

“There was a building that was half done, and when I inquired about it from the nurses and doctors, they said that it was for a critical care complex and where they want to place the entire ICU because there weren’t enough beds where they were at the moment. They said some of the children die because they don’t have beds. They have all the equipment, the doctors, the medication and all that, but the space was not enough,” said Mathews.

“The construction was done by the Navy and they said the project was started a few years ago and it was purely done by donations. It was a Rs. 2 billion project, and they have collected Rs. 750 million and were short of money to finish it. The construction part was over but to add the finishing touches, they needed the balance money. I pledged my support to them. With limited resources, every child is being taken care of and I thought I should contribute in whatever way because so many of the kids will benefit from it and they will be saving a million lives. We all need to get together and support this cause. This cause is my life’s mission,” he said.

The national fundraising project to build a Cardiac and Critical Care Complex at Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital is called Little Hearts. Donations can be remitted to:

Team up with Little Hearts – 87682999

Bank code – 7010 Bank of Ceylon

Branch code – 038 Borella Super Grade Branch

Swift code – BCEYLKLX

Mathews’ fundraising project has drawn reactions from around the world, with Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma commending Mathews for his initiative and tweeting: “Superb initiative my friend, I wish you the best @Angelo69Mathews.”

Apart from Sharma, several other international cricketers have also backed the initiative.

Kumar Sangakkara said: ‘What an important and critically needed project. Needs our support, so let’s get behind it.”

Mahela Jayawardene said: “Support this wonderful cause.”

J.P. Duminy added: “As a cricketing family, we commend you for this amazing commitment Ang. It’s moments like these that can impact and change the way we view the world. May this project go from strength to strength my brother. Let’s lend a hand, my peeps.”

(ST)