Photo Credit: Sri Lanka Cricket
The Lanka Premier League 2023, apart from cricket, will also focus on putting its weight behind the ‘Little Hearts’ project of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH).
Accordingly, Sri Lanka Cricket’s Executive Committee, headed by President Shammi Silva, decided to use the upcoming league’s international exposure to help the ‘Little Hearts’ project raise funds to build a ‘Cardiac and Critical Care Complex’ at the LRH.
Once built, the facility will help immediately treat children with congenital heart diseases (CHD), which are the main cause of infant deaths in Sri Lanka, according to the LRH.
“Sri Lanka Cricket not only has focused on cricket in recent years but also always finds ways to help our country, and this project is our latest effort towards helping our nation’s future,” said Mr. Shammi Silva, President, Sri Lanka Cricket.
The ‘Little Hearts’ project says nearly ten out of every 1,000 infants in Sri Lanka die before they reach their first birthday due to congenital heart defects.
“We will use the upcoming Lanka Premier League to give the ‘Little Hearts’ project a massive boost by conducting a campaign during the tournament titled ”Bat and Bowl for Little Hearts’ to raise funds for this worthy cause,” said Mr. Samantha Dodanwela, The
Tournament Director of the Lanka Premier League 2023, who mooted the idea of backing the ‘Little Hearts Project’, along with SLC President Shammi Silva.
Health authorities say the early construction of the LRH’s Cardiac and Critical Care Complex is highly important in order to get rid of the main cause of infant mortality in the country.
“LRH wants this facility to come up as soon as possible; it is going to be such an important part of our country’s health care, and we thank Sri Lanka Cricket for coming forward to help us in this cause,” said Dr. G. Wijesuriya, the Director of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital.
The Lanka Premier League 2023 will commence on July 30, 2023, at the RPICS, Colombo.
