Help Bring Emergency Medical Relief to Families Devastated by Floods in Sri Lanka

Over Thanksgiving weekend, Sri Lanka was struck by Hurricane Ditwah, a catastrophic storm that claimed more than a thousand lives and displaced millions across the country. Torrential flooding and landslides tore through entire communities, washing away homes, roads, and hospitals in some of the country's most rural areas. As floodwaters recede, families return to their homes now reduced to rubble - facing not only the loss of shelter but also a growing threat of disease amid scarce access to basic healthcare.

My partner, Nuwan Gunawardhana, a physician at Columbia University, and I are raising funds to organize a two-day emergency medical relief camp from December 29 - 30th. The camp will be held in Mavil Aru, one of the most rural and severely affected regions, where over 11,000 families were impacted. We are partnering with Kind Hearted Lankans, a trusted local nonprofit with a proven track record in disaster response. Together with 20 volunteer doctors, we aim to provide free medical care to more than 2,000 people over two days. Nuwan, who will be leading the medical efforts on the ground, is an Infectious Disease physician and has undertaken multiple medical missions in some of the world’s most underserved regions, including most recently in Haiti and Nepal. He has experienced firsthand how timely medical intervention can prevent infections, save lives, and stop crises from compounding into long-term tragedies.

This mission is deeply personal to us. We are returning to Sri Lanka after seven long years away - to return under these circumstances is heartbreaking, but profoundly meaningful. Many families we will serve watched a lifetime of hard work swept away in a single night.

Through your generosity, we hope to:

• Provide essential medical care to flood survivors

• Supply life-saving medications and medical equipment

Please don’t underestimate the impact of your support. Even $20, when converted to local currency, can fund critical medications, wound care, or treatment that may mean the difference between recovery and loss.

Thank you for standing with us, for turning compassion into action, and for helping to bring healing and hope to Sri Lanka when it needs it most.

Note: 100% of donations will be used directly for medical campaign expenses

Image credits: New York Times, ITV News & Various Local Media Outlets