Advantis Engineering, a subsidiary of Hayleys Advantis Limited, recently completed the design, construction and furnishing of a lobby area for patients awaiting heart surgery at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH).

The team at Advantis Engineering, who have been working with the staff of LRH for many years, identified the need for a lobby that would help sooth a scared child who is on the way for a surgery.

The new lobby is furnished with comfortable seating, colorful walls, plenty of toys, a fish tank, and a TV to keep the children entertained and distracted whilst they await their surgery.

Commenting on the upgraded lobby Dr. Shehan Perera said, “The newly gifted Cath-lobby is a fantastic addition to the hospital, especially to the kids who are undergoing heart catheter procedures and their parents at the Heart Centre at Lady Ridgeway Children’s hospital. In the past, children were lined up in a busy, noisy and crowded corridor, with no space to breathe or move around. They were terrified at awaiting their turn to be taken for the procedure. Also, seeing those who have had their procedure being taken past them was also very traumatic and stressful, which is a terrible experience.

Now the Cath- Lobby provides them with a fairytale like space where they completely forget about the scary procedure that they are to undergo. The kids who come now do not want to leave the lobby because they feel so comfortable and happy in it.”

Dr. Shehan Perera extended a very big ‘thank you’ to the Advantis team for the wonderful gift of an out-of-this-world Cath-Lobby. He commented, “Seeing the relieved faces of kids and their parents is an absolutely heartwarming experience, and any expression of gratitude from kids as well as parents for such a beautiful place is worth more than a thousand words.”

This was the second phase of Advantis Engineering’s ongoing work with LRH which began in 2016 when the company stepped forward to construct the storage area for the HOPE Operating Theater. This first phase of development, enabled the hospital to open up space for another operating theater which added to their capacity to save lives. Ultimately, this helped the hospital to perform two to three additional surgeries per day.

The Advantis Engineering team handled the entire process from planning and design to the final construction of the lobby. Advantis Engineering also donated all furniture and entrainment equipment as well. The construction of the space required the careful demolition of an existing hospital area without disrupting the day-to-day activities or causing any additional distress to the patients. With extensive experience in the construction business, Advantis Engineering was able to complete this complex project safely, efficiently and on time.

Commenting on the project, Kamal Wimalaratne, General Manager, Advantis Engineering, said, “As a company that always puts the community first, we at Advantis Engineering are proud to be able to assist LRH in the great work they are doing through the use of our innovative space solutions. We hope that this new lobby with its enjoyable features will continue to create a better environment for the children preparing for treatment, and reduce the stress-levels of parents in the waiting room.”

Founded in 1895 the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children is Sri Lanka’s premier pediatric hospital and is considered amongst the largest pediatric hospitals in the world with a bed-strength of over 900. 

Advantis Engineering, a fully owned subsidiary of Hayleys Advantis Limited, constantly strives to provide innovative accommodation solutions for a wide variety of industries. Operating with the latest technology applications, the company has expanded its service offering over the years, ensuring that the best of mobile accommodation solutions are available right here in Sri Lanka. It is also the only company in Sri Lanka that is operating with a fully-fledged sheltered manufacturing plant for container conversions. Hayleys Advantis is the transportation and logistics arm of Hayleys PLC, a diversified blue-chip multinational conglomerate, recognized as the number 1 listed company in Sri Lanka.