Lankan cricketers undergoing post traumatic
counselling
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka’s cricketers and officials
who were caught up in the Lahore Terror attack are presently
undergoing post traumatic counselling from a leading
psychologist doctor Dr Shanez Fernando attached to the
Apollo Hospital.
Sri Lanka team manager Brendon Kuruppu told The Bottom
Line that Dr Fernando was at present assessing each
individual one to one and the assessment would take
about two weeks.
“After the doctor has done her assessment on the
players and officials she will decide which of them
would require further reviewing,” said Kuruppu.
“Not only the cricketers even their immediate family
members who are affected by the circumstances are undergoing
counselling,” Kuruppu said.
“There are some who need immediate counselling
while others are affected to a lesser degree. There
are others who felt strong soon after the incident but
are now reacting a few days later,” he said.
Recalling the incident Kuruppu said that it was a terrifying
experience for anyone to undergo. “What took place
in those two to three minutes has made it difficult
for the players and officials. It is something you cannot
explain. Who would have expected us cricketers to be
the targets of terrorists?”
Kuruppu also stated that there was a move to get down
a psychologist from Australia, but Sri Lanka Cricket
CEO Duleep Mendis said they had dismissed that idea
as there were competent doctors in Sri Lanka to attend
to the problem at hand. He said that Sri Lanka team
physio Tommy Simsek was co-ordinating the counselling.
Meanwhile, three Sri Lankan cricketers and assistant
coach Paul Farbrace continued to receive treatment at
the Nawaloka private hospital following the attack on
the team bus.
According to hospital sources Samaraweera who had a
bullet removed from his left thigh will be detained
for a further two weeks as his injury would require
regular cleaning.
The worst affected is Ajantha Mendis who is in a great
deal of pain and suffering from constant headaches after
having undergone a second operation to remove 12 pieces
of shrapnel from his head. He is responding very slowly
to treatment and is in danger of missing the IPL tourney
in India which starts next month.
Tharanga Paranavitana who had a bullet removed from
his chest had a slight infection on the wound but is
said to have recovered.
Paul Farbrace, the assistant coach is still receiving
treatment after undergoing two operations on his right
arm to remove shrapnel. He is expected to be released
from hospital before the weekend and plans to travel
to England shortly.
The rest of the players and officials have returned
to their homes and spending time with their families.
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