Isabella Liyanage - An Inspiring life

Lakshman Karalliedde

My first exposure to the Liyanage family was in the early 1950’s during the (then) annual boxing fixture between Royal and Trinity. In three weight divisions, a Liyanage was at the Royal corner and they all fisted the respective Trinity opponents into total submission.

In 1960, the middle one-Sunil and Isabella started their medical studies at the Colombo Medical Faculty with me. My friendship with Sunil developed with great rapidity and their home at Gregory’s Avenue was my second home in Colombo.

Isabella most aptly described in the Eulogy was immaculate, statuesque, confident and intelligent and uncomfortable but tolerant of the ‘K’s in the batch whose behaviour was far from the accepted norms. Sunil, in contrast to his aggressive style in the boxing ring- he battered his opponent at the inter-university championship, was quiet except at block concerts, impish, extremely quick witted with an uncanny poker faced sense of humour.

I also knew Isabella’s mother, who first showed me how to care for an infant when Niran, Sunil’s and Isabella’s eldest son was born and Sunil’s mother -Auntie Valerie who at 95 years of age is an avid reader and a computer wizard. Sunil’s late father was known to all of us -affectionately referred to as Patron.

Sunil and Bella left for the UK, shortly after their house jobs in 1967. Both reached commendable heights professionally, with Isabella winning the Gold Medal at the final Radiology Examination, switching to radiology after her membership examination in Medicine. Sunil became a consultant rheumatologist working with a distinguished consultant colleague. They were one of the very few medical couples appointed as Consultants to the same hospital trust which was in one of the most affluent regions in the UK-Windsor-not known only for the castle, as the hospitals served the top rung of society in Windsor, Ascot and Virginia Waters (popularly known as the stock broker belt).

Both Bella and Sunil were made honorary members of the Windsor and District Medical Association with the likes of Barbara Ansell.

Isabella, as the sole Consultant Radiologist initially was responsible for developing the specialty in the region to the highest standards in the UK.

When I arrived in the UK for my post-graduate studies in 1970, they hosted me at Reading and introduced the ‘country cousin’ to the British culture which included visits to the pub, lessons on the football league and horse racing. Their home at Virginia Waters was always open to me when I visited England between 1976 and 1989. They were wonderful hosts, generous and genuine.

Both Sunil and Bella treated with empathy and compassion several patients who were near and dear to Kanthi and self. They also looked after our health. On one occasion, to relieve our extreme anxiety, Bella requested a radiology unit to be opened on a Sunday morning at a private Hospital in Windsor, after telephoning her on Saturday evening, to conduct radiological examinations and her expert opinion was about one of the most reassuring and anxiety relieving moments in our lives.

In addition, her expert opinion silenced a department of radiology at a London Teaching Hospital.

They provided the best educational opportunities for their two sons, educating them at Eton and later at Oxford, with Yohan obtaining a doctorate from Cambridge.

A noble quality which I admired in both Sunil and Bella was that they never provided unsolicited advice but was always available to facilitate and/or provide assistance when requested.

During the past two decades Sunil and I continued with our passion for horse racing with frequent e-mails and text messages which amused our spouses as our selections often fell at the first fence or hurdle or never ended up amongst the first three in flat racing.

Nevertheless, we persisted and survived. Bella’s determination, discipline and dedication to provide nothing but the best for Sunil, Niran, Yohan , the specialty and colleagues and the community she served and friends was in the least admirable.

She displayed her inner strengths and courage coping for a long period with an illness for which she was aware that there was no known cure, continuing with her work and helping the family and the community she served. She never wavered, whimpered or worried about her health.