‘Trail’ to resume next year to build Southern cancer hospital

Jacqueline, Kumar, Mahela, Otara, Yureni and more to lead the    initiative

Trail, Sri Lanka’s largest ever crowd- funded charitable initiative that saw the raising of US$ 2.2 milllion in 2011 for the construction of the nation’s 2nd specialized cancer hospital in Jaffna, is set to resume again with the announcement to ‘Walk. Unite. Heal.’ in October 2016 with the new goal of building a US$  5 million hospital in Galle.

The news was announced by Trail founders Nathan Sivagananathan and Sarinda Unamboowe at the recently held launch hosted by the The Colours of Courage Trust (a trust supporting Trail and other national initiatives against cancer) at  Warehouse D, Park Street Mews.

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. Now the time has come to make it happen – let us  again ‘Walk. Unite. Heal.”.

They also shared that they were overwhelmed by the encouragement they have already received for a second Trail from supporters at home and abroad including, most prominently, from President Sirisensa - who had supported the cause previously and declared open the Trail Tellipalai Cancer Hospital in Jaffna in January 2014. 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 the duration of 28 days with walkers covering around 23km a day. Participants can sign up to walk at their ability – joining for one day, 3 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.

The event saw a gathering and recognition of the previous 12 Trail Blazers – the  men and women who completed the entire 2011 walk. Trail’s local and international celebrity ambassadors in addition to Kumar and Mahela were also announced as Jacqueline Fernandez, Otara Gunewardene, Yureni Noshika and Natalie & Nadiya Anderson (of Amazing Race and Survivor fame representing Trail in the US).

The unique launch featured a curated exhibition of photographs taken during the first Trail, as well as photos of the finished hospital. The images tell the story of  the over 30,000 people and 300,000 onloookers from all backgrounds that united during the course 27 days to walk in whole or in part a distance of 670 km from south to north. Their participation being an act of both solidarity against cancer and a demonstration of national unity in the aftermath of the 2009 conclusion of the Sri Lankan civil war.

The Trail hospital in Jaffna includes a 3-ward (including pediatric) building that has treated over 3000 patients from the north and north-east since opening its doors. A new radiotherapy and bracheotherapy treatment center are in process of completion on the site as well.

Perhaps the most poignant part of evening was the highlighting of the generosity of giving that occurred on the road itself. Walkers carried tills all along the route from which almost Rs.10M was raised. Small but significant donations came from children, priests, police officers, CMC staff, farmers, and even a man who was homeless.