Behind the busy hospital stretch of Maharagama, just a few hundred metres from Apeksha Hospital, stands a building that feels more like a warm embrace than a clinical facility. It is green, quiet, and proud. And today (29), this sanctuary – Suwa Arana, meaning ‘A Place for Healing’ – turns two.
In just two years, Suwa Arana has redefined what cancer care can look like in Sri Lanka. It is not a ward. It is not a hospice. It is a home; built with purpose, run with compassion, and alive with the laughter of children who, despite everything, are still finding joy.
Founded by the Indira Cancer Trust, Suwa Arana was born from a deeply personal loss. Indira Jayasuriya, a mother of two, battled cancer with extraordinary strength and grace. After her passing, her father, former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, transformed his grief into a vision: a place where families affected by cancer could find dignity, comfort, and healing – no matter the outcome of the disease.
That vision came to life in the form of Sri Lanka’s first paediatric palliative care centre – a beautifully designed, purpose-built space offering free accommodation, meals, therapy, and support services to families with children undergoing cancer treatment.
But Suwa Arana is more than its walls.
At 4 p.m. every day, the healing garden comes alive. Music floats through the trees. Children sing karaoke, beat drums, bake cupcakes, paint, laugh, and play. There are therapy dogs, magic shows, and even the occasional dance party. It’s not a distraction from treatment; it’s part of the healing.
“My son waits every single day for 4 p.m.,” said one father at a recent event. “This is what he looks forward to.” His son has since entered palliative care. He now uses a wheelchair and requires full-time support. But his room at Suwa Arana remains his, and his family, still greeted with love and care, stays by his side.
These stories are not exceptions. They are the daily rhythm of life at Suwa Arana.
Children call it ‘Indira Hotel,’ delighted by the warm buffet meals prepared each day. Each family room is thoughtfully designed to feel like home. Parents are encouraged to rest, talk, and take part in relaxation sessions, counselling, art therapy, and even educational support for siblings.
Since opening, Suwa Arana has supported hundreds of families, hosted over 1,000 volunteers, and shown that palliative care can be full of life, not just reserved for its end.
“Palliative care is not about giving up,” says Indira Cancer Trust Chairperson Dr. Lanka Jayasuriya Dissanayake. “It’s about making every day count. Even if we can’t cure, we can still care – deeply, creatively, and with dignity.”
The Indira Cancer Trust welcomes volunteers, students, and professionals who want to experience a new kind of care – one rooted in empathy, not just expertise. And as Suwa Arana enters its third year, plans are already underway to expand programmes, deepen services, and support more families.
At its heart, this story began with Indira. Her legacy lives in every smile, every meal served, every moment of laughter in the healing garden.
Suwa Arana is not just a place. It is a promise that no child should walk through cancer alone. And that even in the hardest moments, healing is still possible.