Written by : Shiyuan yang
As a Chinese blogger who writes about Sri Lanka, I have met a lot of people. And among them, there is one I will never forget.
In 2018, after my posting about the Skydive Para motor tour in Koggala on my blog, one of my followers showed strong interest to participate. Unfortunately, his timing for travel was not right. The skydive was not a regular event throughout the year, but operating only occasionally.
Later, due to people’s enthusiastic response to the Para motor tour, the organizer extended the operation date, which happened to be during his travel period to Sri Lanka. He was very excited to sign up immediately. This time, we received a notice from the organizer that the program was bought out by a foreign company.
Again, he missed it.
However, this energetic follower, who was willing to try new things, maintained a good attitude, which left a deep impression on me.
He later traveled to Sri Lanka, and left a message on my blog saying: “Sister srilanka-nanggii (my blog name), when you are free, I would like to share with you my Sri Lanka story.”
The following is his story:
” During my physical examination in October 2016 in China, I found that my left eye was not so clear.
“I was diagnosed with keratoconus. The disease is a genetic disorder that occurs occasionally in adolescents with a prevalence of 1 in 1,000.
“Due to the late discovery, I underwent a left eye corneal lamellar transplant operation in Chengdu in February 2017. On the operating table, the doctor told me that this stranger’s cornea came from a far-away country, which I have never been to before: Sri Lanka.
Hello, dear stranger.
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“Thank you. Because of you, my eyes are now restored . Now I see the world with your eyes.
Tomorrow, I plan to go to the International Eye Bank-Eye Donation Society of Sri Lanka to offer flowers. May the Triple Gem bless and bring you good karma. May everything go well.”
Later, I saw in his wechat “Moments” which is Chinese social media, that he did indeed go to the International Eye Bank, which would have been a special ritual for him.
He posted: “Sri Lanka International Eye Bank was founded in 1961 by Dr. Hudson Silva. Since 1964, the cornea donations in Sri Lanka exceeded domestic demand. By 2014, Sri Lanka has donated more than 77,000 corneas to 136 cities in more than 60 countries.
“As a young medical officer, Dr. Hudson Silva was interested in helping the blind and in 1958, he published an article in the newspapers requesting eye donations. The response had been beyond expectations. He is the pioneer in introducing eye donations in Sri Lanka and in 1961 he founded Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society.
“People have compassion and loving kindness
to the less fortunate. They are very generous. More than 15 million people have registered to donate their remains after death. And the corneas are sent to the Sri Lanka International Eye Bank by rural doctors on their motorcycles or tuk-tuks, and then donated to the world.
Life is much simpler here and in tune with nature. The eye bank is not as grand as I imagined. But it serves a huge purpose benefitting the word. The tear-drop island of the Indian Ocean are the eyes of the world. “
The then President and current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa visited China several years ago and donated two corneas as a gift to China, which is a famous event in recent diplomatic history of the two countries.
Dr. Yao Xiaoming, a well-known Chinese ophthalmologist said: “I have been promoting exchanges between China and Sri Lanka eye banks and the people since 2000, and I have been to Sri Lanka nearly 30 times. I have learned a lot about the values of Sri Lankan people and grateful for their good hearted donations that benefits the world.”