Devika Colambage’s noble mission:

Healing battle-scarred minds

Suharshi Perera

Those still eyes give her wisdom and carry her towards far horizons. She gives them strength to dig out courage buried beneath their shattered spirits and eyes to see beyond horror and pain.

It is mutual. They open up to her and she understands them. She does not promise them greener pastures, wonderlands or heroes riding black horses to rescue them. She helps them to overcome tremors and imparts strength to stand on firm ground.

Devika Colombage applies her knowledge, experience and skills to soothe the distressed. She travels to remote conflict affected villages in the North Central province like Kebithigollawa and Welioya to counsel the civilians and Security Forces personnel to help them overcome trauma.

“I focus on counselling trauma victims and battle casualties as it is vital for Sri Lanka today,” says Devika. She voluntarily expends her energy to soothe the minds of soldiers injured in the conflict. She visits the National Hospital, Military hospital in Narahenpita and the Army and Navy hospitals.

“Most of the battle casualty victims suffer from the Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTD). There are special therapies to treat this condition like inside therapy and relaxation therapy.

In the first method, I talk to them to learn their background and what they have gone through. Then it is easier to treat that person. In the second one we get the patient to relax his/her mind and body using a cassette which contains instructions and soothing music,” she said.

She did not aspire to become a counsellor but she was destined to become one. “My first job was related to telecommunications and later I moved into the hotel industry on my brother’s advice. I had to work outside Colombo, which forced me to change the job. Then I joined the Family Rehabilitation Centre, an NGO - that was the turning point of my life,” she recalled.

First she joined as the Public Relations Officer but time and her talents paved the way to become a counsellor. She was sent to England to follow a diploma course on counselling. Upon her return she started projects in Weli Oya and Kebithigollewa.

Devika was born to a family of five in Kirulapone. Her father was a Government employee and her mother, a teacher. She has a sister interested in social service and a brother attached to the hotel industry. She studied at Anula Vidyalaya, Colombo and excelled in many fields like sports and social activities and became Games Captain and a senior prefect.

“When I was young I was very keen to become an air hostess. But my father opposed. But I never thought I would end up a counsellor,” she remarked.

While carrying out her counselling for civilians, under Director Ranaviru Sevana in Ragama Brigadier Sriyani Warusavithana’s guidance she started working for Trauma Counselling Centres. She began counselling battle casualty victims at the National Hospital.

“The Assistant Director of the hospital helped me a great deal to carry out these duties,” she noted with gratitude. Weli Oya and Kebithigollewa became her home and villagers her family members as she paid many visits to those places. She did not stop her mission even after leaving the NGO.

Her main duty was to conduct lectures and train ‘barefoot assistants’. “ It is a concept coined during World War II due to lack of doctors. They trained people with a little education on providing first aid to the wounded. The barefoot assistants had a small tool bag and managed till they got the help of a doctor.”

“I tried the same method in Kebithigollawa and Weli Oya. We handpicked school leavers and other civilians and conducted lectures for students and teachers. It was a three year project focused on basic knowledge of counselling. We could address many cases that way,” she said.

Following the Kebithigollewa massacre that killed 55 innocent civilians, villagers sought assistance. Amidst the security provided by the Armed Forces, Devika visited the area.

“In Yakawewa I met some people who were known to me. It was very grieving as some had lost four, five family members. We had to face a grave challenge in healing these people’s minds. I was very happy to see some barefoot counsellors trained by us carrying out counselling. Sriyalatha Bandara, a voluntary teacher was a prominent figure,” she observed.

The Area Commander, Brigade Commander and civil coordinators extended their fullest support.

Even when distance, inundated roads and money posed obstacles to reach these areas, Devika never looked back. She travelled in crowded trains, changed buses and walked for miles in the scorching sun on dusty roads running through terrorist threatened areas.

“There are no barriers for a good cause. The Bodhi Social Society Foundation with Ven. Vitharandeniye Nanda Thera came forward to help my endeavour. They took me to those areas”.

The people in those areas are not beggars. They are very strong. The Government and certain NGOs provide them with socio-economic and medical assistance. What they lack is psychological assistance. There are only a very few psychological therapists and professional counsellors in Sri Lanka, she said.

She has contributed to counselling projects for war widows organised by the Ranaviru Seva Authority in Uva, Paranagama and Polonnaruwa.

Trauma Counselling is centred on victims of violence. Armed Forces’ battle casualty victims are normally strong personalities. Some had lost both the eyes and limbs.

So in counselling you have to make them understand the reality and convince them there are new avenues. For that you should possess confidentiality, attentive listening and empathy. For them mental healing is very important at this stage, Devika said.

“The President of the Navy Seva Vanitha Unit invited me for psychological assistance. Still I have not started programmes with the Army Seva Vanitha,” she added.

“I love challenges. My entire life has been very challenging. I will do my best to help the Security Forces personnel who are committed to safeguard the country. I request the public to encourage them and admire them. Never underestimate their noble efforts,” she concluded.

Picture by Palitha Gunasena

Pregnancy and arthritis:

How will I cope with the new baby?

Dr. Kaleel Cassim MBBS, MD (Medicine)

MAJOR CHALLENGE: Coping with the demands of a small baby is exhausting for any new mother, and for a woman with arthritis the stresses can be much greater. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis may find that their arthritis flares up again in the weeks after the birth (often after going into remission during the pregnancy) and this can obviously make things more difficult. You should try to counteract this by arranging beforehand for extra help from family and friends once the baby is born.

Following the birth extra support from a partner, other family members or friends is crucial in sharing the care of a small baby, while help from extended family will all help you cope in the first few months after the birth.

Having a small child can be hard work, even with help from a committed partner and other family members. But many women with arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, are still capable of having children and can often do so without too many problems.

What about my medication?

If your drugs for arthritis were stopped before or during the pregnancy most doctors recommend going straight back on to them. This applies except where the drugs would stop you breastfeeding (see below).

Because of the benefits for the baby of breastfeeding, at least for the first few weeks, in the case of certain drugs some women prefer to wait until the arthritis flares up again before returning to their medication. Ask your rheumatologist for advice on this.

If you have a flare-up during the time after the birth, perhaps before the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have had a chance to start working again, then your rheumatologist may give you a short course of steroids. If only one or two joints are troublesome these can be safely injected with steroids. Other measures that may be of use include physiotherapy.

Will I be able to breastfeed?

Yes. Breastfeeding is best for your baby so the doctors will try very hard to keep you on drugs that will not affect your baby through your milk. Even if you only breastfeed for a few weeks it will give your baby a better start in life. Drugs you are taking while breastfeeding may pass into the breast milk, although in small amounts, so it is sensible to take as few drugs as possible.

Many drugs (particularly many of the DMARDs such as ciclosporin, gold injections, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and leflunomide) must not be taken at all while breastfeeding - if these drugs are necessary then the baby should be bottle-fed.

Sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine have been used successfully in women who were breastfeeding. If you are taking steroids, small amounts are excreted in breast milk, but no side-effects on babies have been reported.

Most NSAIDs do not enter breast milk in large quantities, except high-dose aspirin and this should be avoided. Drugs such as ibuprofen, indometacin and diclofenac can be used but doses should be kept to a minimum.

(The writer is a Consultant Rheumatalogist, Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital.)

Needlework and brussels lace exhibition

EXHIBITION: Needlework of the most exquisite quality, embellished in gauzy, wispy brussels lace, proudly produced in Sri Lanka has always been the hallmark of Andrea Boekel.

Many lovers of beautiful needlework will be overjoyed to see her collection of delicate needlework and brussels lace in an exhibition and sale July 21 at No 16, Kinross avenue, Colombo 04.

Ornately worked table linen, doilies, table runners, coasters and cushion covers are among other items. Despite most of the high quality material having to be imported to produce this work, Andrea has decided not to pass on the additional expenditure to the customer.

Dainty shadow-work in bowers of flowers, butterflies and bows take centre-stage on gorgeous table linen. Generous swirls of lace adorn exquisite table runners and doilies and each piece is a work of art in its own right.