Life Saving Cancer Treatment for Oshika

Hi to all, I’m Samanthi Ranawalage, raising funds for my cousin sister Oshika.

Samaraweera Mudalige Oshika Ewanthi Wijayagunarathna, 34 years old international student. She’s married, living with her Husband and her 3 years old Daughter. She is a Medical Officer in Sri Lanka and came to Melbourne Australia to do her Postgraduate, currently enrolled to do Master in Public Health. She is a Medical Graduate from University of Sri Jayawardenapura in Sri Lanka in 2017.

A couple days ago Oshika, was experiencing an abdominal pain, she ended up in the emergency department at Monash Hospital in Dandenong and had blood tests and a CT scan.Then with further investigations found out that her skin cancer has spread to her lungs and liver in significant amounts. Oncologist informed that Oshika has stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma and needs to start treatment as soon as possible which is Immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy is like chemotherapy; Immunotherapy uses our immune system to fight cancer. It works by helping the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells with the aim of killing the cancer in her liver and lungs.

The recommended medication which is required is Ipilimumab + Nivolumab which costs around AUD$20,000 per dose. Frequency of the treatment is every 3rd weekly for 4 cycles initially.

Currently she on Student visa and does not hold Medicare. She got her Private Health Insurance, but it does not cover the treatment. Oshika is unemployed and only husband works.

We aren’t too sure what the future holds, but Oshika is remaining positive and hoping for the best, she is lucky she has one of the best oncologists that is in Australia has to offer so she is in good hands.

This is where we come in….

We all know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. We have seen what they have been through. We know the financial stress this puts on them and their family.

As you can imagine, cancer treatments are very costly. Please kindly consider making a donation to help fund Oshika’s treatment, so she could start her treatments soon and achieve her goals and dreams.