Mahela remembers brother Disal who died of cancer ... and sobs

A Walk was held from Point Pedro to Dondra Head recently with former Captain of Sri Lanka Cricket Mahela Jayawardena taking prominence on behalf of the fund for the Cancer Hospital and on completion of the Walk the foundation stone was laid yesterday at Karapitiya Hospital premises in this connection and wiping his tears Mahela made a speech, remembering his brother
who died of cancer 25 years before this. 

A few months later after Mahela won the Best Schoolboy Player Award while studying at Nalanda College in the year 1994, the greatest setback in his life dawned in 1995 when he heard of the ailment of his brother Disal who was suffering from a cancer of the brain. Being aware that facilities necessary for treatment was not available in Sri Lanka for this condition, Mahela's father Senerath Jayawardena took Disal to Etkinson Morley Hospital in London, U.K. for treatment and he was subjected to a surgery there. After 7 months of treatment there Disal was brought back to Sri Lanka and was subjected to Chemotherapy. However it did not turn out to be successful and ultimately Disal breathed his last tragically at the age of 16 years. 

Disal like Mahela displayed skills in cricket and was a left-handed batsman and happened to be the opening batsman when just 14 years at the time Mahela was captaining the Nalanda College cricket team. Disal in fact was not only Mahela's best friend but his cricketing companion too. What Mahela says is that Disal was in fact a better player than he is. According to his belief Disal would be a cricketing star by now if if he happened to be among the living. 

Before stepping into current international games arena Mahela began his cricketing career with Sinhalese Sports Club, all the while bearing the sorrow of the life of his brother. He considered it as the most cruel pain he faced in his life and always thought that if there was a possible environment in Sri Lanka where his brother could have been treated in the initial stages, his brother's fate could have changed. Though his father who was a technical officer at Rupavahini Corporation had the capabilities of taking his brother overseas and provide the necessary facilities, Mahela knew that a majority of people in Sri Lanka would be helpless in the presence of such a problem. Mahela began thinking that the most suitable thing that could be done on behalf of his brother was to prevent such a tragedy befalling someone else. It was for this reason that Mahela launches the fund-raising programme for Hope Cancer Hospital in about the year 2002. However it did not bear fruit. Mahela engaged in a Walk such as this on behalf of Jaffna Cancer Hospital in 2011 and it became a success. In 2016 too he made a Walk and yesterday it has shown signs of success. 

Director General of the Ministry of Health made a pledge that the sum of 750 million would be given by the Health Ministry on the occasion when the foundation stone was being laid and he also confirmed that whatever shortage resulted in the monies collected with Trail SL Charity heading the Walk could inevitably be covered.

This is what Mahela who broke into tears said yesterday at the function: "I fell into a bit of difficulties because it's 20 years since my brother passed away. From that day onwards I strived to provide requirements necessary for Sri Lanka. Nathan and Sharinda paved me the way for that. I'm really happy. Not only cancer ... I think that there are more problems in this country. We must get together and face those problems as a unit. I feel that the most wonderful 28 days of my life has been spent. We have come to Matara from Point Pedro. I felt how much pleasant and grateful the public in Sri Lanka are". The video of that occasion, from below