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| Wednesday, 19 January 2005 |
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Cricket, compassion and caring by Dr. Quintus de Zylva Dr. David Young and I got together a medical team that travelled to Sri Lanka after Tsunami struck - with 37 packages of medicines and medical equipment assembled at short notice through the generosity of donors who still can't believe the enormity of the tragedy. Caring for the sick and injured on the East Coast and in the Galle district was a rewarding experience. What is it that drives adult professional men, with an interest in cricket to lay everything aside in comfortable Melbourne and head to Sri Lanka to assist ordinary men, women and children in their hour of need? Why does CRICKET have this ability to draw people from diverse backgrounds to unite in an act of mercy. David Young and I conferred within twenty four hours of Boxing Day and concluded that we just couldn't sit back and watch CNN, SKY and BBC reveal horrific pictures of a tragedy - we had to go and do whatever we could to alleviate some of the pain and suffering. The launch of Cricket-Aid in Colombo showed us that Thilanga Sumathipala and his committee had a plan to ease some of the pain acutely and a longer term plan to rehabilitate those unfortunate enough to have been in the eye of the storm. The ICC met at emergency meetings and rallied support for the Asian cricket playing nations world-wide. Sanath, Kumar, Chaminda and Murali were the centre of attention at the MCG Tsunami Charity Match where more than 70,000 spectators watched their idols give of their best to raise a phenomenal $A 12 million. Here was Murali receiving a warm and generous applause from the same crowd who had previously thrown brickbats at him. Here was John Howard and a host of eminent people wine and dine in the Legend's Room with David Cruse's Sri Lankan invitees. Jason Gillespie, Shane Watson and Brett Lee were to spend time with the Sri Lankan contingent ably lead by Major General Janaka Perera Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Canberra. As the local press said, all was forgiven in the name of a good cause and Murali announced his return to the MCG for future cricket fixtures. How does cricket break down all barriers in one memorable day? The Knox Tavern dinner hosted by David and Cathy Cruse was to be the venue of a glittering cricket extravaganza the following night at which more than $A16,000 was raised towards the Cricket-Aid venture. Kumar spoke from the heart when he asked all Melbournians to visit Sri Lanka and put their arms round a distressed homeless child. Here was compassion that brought tears to the eyes of adult men and women. David Cruse, David Young and I will be part of a team scheduled to visit Sri Lanka again in the first week of February. Ampara, Kalmunai, Trinco, Galoya and Polannaruwa will again be visited as will Galle and the Karapitiya Hospital and surrounding refugee camps. Supplies of drugs and medical equipment will again be carried - courtesy of Qantas Airways. Greg Hoy another member of the Melbourne Orthopaedic Group will also be a part of the team. Greg repaired the tendons of Arjuna's shattered finger some years ago. And David Young has operated upon almost every Sri Lankan cricketer who sustained any injury. Murali had some soreness in his shoulder after ten magnificent overs at the Tsunami Charity Match but his ability to bowl ten overs is a credit to the surgical skills of David Young and Greg Hoy. Murali had recovered faster than Shane Warne or Anil Kumble did after similar surgery. The generosity of Melbournians is reflected in a desire for closer contact between Melbourne and Galle. We have offered medical assistance to hospitals in the South and East of Sri Lanka over a five year period where doctors and nursing staff from Melbourne will treat and care for patients on a rotating basis with an option to extend it for another five years. The Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation of Victoria will examine and treat the orphans and resettled villages that Cricket-Aid will look after and build in the near future. What a driving force this game of cricket has become. What have the Rugby Sevens and Fifa done to bring some semblance of meaning to those shattered lives? Cricket will forever remain a force to be reckoned with - when tragedy strikes innocent people. Tsunami's might come and go but the love for this noble game will forever endure and with it compassion for the traumatised people of Sri Lanka. |
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