Hospitalised child scored 186 marks at scholarship exam

Sandagiri of Ananda who won scholarship ....     
was lying for 5 months on sick-bed!


A child who had been suffering from the disease of Guillaine-Barre Syndrome and was confined to bed with all limbs being almost incapacitated for over a period of 5 months unexpectedly when studying for his Year 5 scholarship examination was able to secure 186 marks at the
scholarship exam this time. This student who was the 45th in Colombo became the first in Ananda College. This success was achieved by Venura Maneth of Negombo.

What is known as Guillain-Barre or Guillaine-Barre Syndrome is an instance of an antibody reaction which occurs with an infection entering the body which in turn causes weakness in the nervous system.

It is understood that as a consequence of this condition, an individual loses sensitivity in the body to some extent together with weakness of muscles and as a result could even lose his or her life because of difficulty in breathing. Sandagiri had displayed these symptoms in January last year and has had to take treatment at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, having been warded there.

This child who was clever in his studies was disappointed for having missed his lessons. Even when he was warded, he had been distressed about being confined to bed; for missing his studies.

It was in this manner that he managed to get permission to attend school for two days from May 19th.

Because of the treatment he received and the courage displayed, Sandagiri was able to work as a normal child would and his mother happened to stay back for him in the class daily. It is learned that everybody in class helped this friend of theirs who used to come in a wheel-chair. He had to attend to extra studies in the hospital itself.

Having made him enrol for the scholarship exam through the school, he was provided the opportunity of sitting for the scholarship exam at Ananda College by providing a special extra time-period under the category afforded to him after subjecting him for an interview by the Sri Lanka Examinations Department. It was after that that he was able to display his ability by securing 186 marks.

This is how Sandagiri expressed his ideas in this connection: "After doing the 45 minutes paper, time was not enough for me to go through the last questions a second time. But the time of an hour and 15 minutes of the question paper was left for me. I knew that I would pass the Scholarship. It was my elder brother who browsed through the internet on Sunday morning at 3.30 and said that I have got 186 marks. I was very happy. My podi aiyya, amma, thaththa, aachchi and seeya as well as everybody in school are happy about me".

This is what Sandagiri's mother told about him: "I first worked at Ananda College office. Sandagiri is my third child. I have two other sons. I resigned from my job because of my son's illness. My husband is a businessman. At the moment we live in Borella. Our hometown is is Negombo. On December 26th night my son complained of his legs paining. He had fever also. After sleeping, the following morning he said he cannot get down from the bed ... that his legs have become lifeless. Actually my child couldn't get down from the bed. Not only the legs, even the whole body had become lifeless. From this scene that I saw that day, I felt as if my own whole body was becoming lifeless. Even the day before, my son walked well. I am the mother of this child who bore this child inside my own womb for 9 months, feeding him milk. How can I bear up a situation like this? We quickly admitted him to a private hospital. The first doctor to whom we showed our child could not detect our son's illness. The second doctor whom we consulted, Dr. Mrs. Priyara Ratnayaka understood the sickness.

With an ambulance in that hospital my son was sent to Lady Ridgeway Hospital. He was then admitted to Specialist Dr. Mrs. Punchihewa's Ward. In the first five days alone .... according to what I remember, the government spent about Rs. 18 lakhs for my son's treatment. After this initial treatment, he was admitted to Ward 6. It was in Ward 6 that we met Vindhya Madam. It was she who repaired Sandu's small broken heart and brought it upto the level that it needed to. All doctors of Ward 9 and Ward 6 including the staff and everyone at the Physiotherapy Unit .... specially Miss Amali Pahalavithane and all others helped towards rescuing my son's life. Specially Mr. Kithsiri Liyanagamage, Principal of Ananda College and the Lady Principal of the Primary, Damayanthi Kodikkara helped us a lot.

Sandagiri's class was on the topmost floor of a building of 5 stories. Because he was not in a position to climb a floor so high, suffering from this sickness; the chief teacher of the Primary Section took steps to bring the classroom on the top floor to the floor downstairs and provide the necessary facilities for the child. It is because of the co-operation of all of them and the dedication of my son that I enjoy this much of happiness and honour as a mother". That is what this mother finally said,hugging her loving son with great sentiment.

Information -- Harindi Liyanage
Photos -- Sujatha Jayaratna