Dr. Kanishka Ratnayaka Legacy Grant
Our Brother - Dr. Kanishka Ratnayaka
Dr. Kanishka Ratnayaka was a skilled, award-winning researcher, pediatric interventional cardiologist. At the time of his passing in December 2021, he served as the Director of the Dickinson Image-Guided Intervention Center and Co-Director of Research at the Heart Institute of Rady Children’s Hospital - San Diego and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Kanishka was known by everyone he interacted with as a kind, compassionate, caring human being and a brilliant physician. In addition to his legacy at Rady Children’s, he was a founding member and Director of Programs for World Children’s Initiative.
Dr. Ratnayaka was the lead physician executing Project Heart: Uganda, an initiative to build a sustainable cardiac catheterization program at Mulago Hospital in Kampala Uganda. Because of his leadership and mentorship, hundreds of children in Uganda received, will continue to receive, life-saving care.
Dr. Ratnayaka’s immeasurable dedication to his field was only surpassed by his devotion to his friends and family. He was an extraordinary son, brother, husband, father, and colleague.
Purpose
In honor of Dr. Kanishka Ratnayaka’s legacy and request that WCI continue to help children play harder and live longer,
we have decided to create Project K: Legacy Grant.
The grant will have the following purpose:
To spread Dr. Kanishka Ratnayaka’s spirit
To continue his work and pursuits in delivering clinical care while advancing the field, and teaching future generations
To provide financial support to healthcare initiatives that are aimed at building clinical and educational platforms to broaden patient access, improve patient care, and educate future healthcare providers
Our Goal
To raise $25,000 for Project K: Legacy Grant
Find a project that meets the outlined purpose within a 1-2 year timeframe with defined deliverables
100% of the proceeds for the grant will be donated to the selected project
Organizations, institutions, or individuals interested in applying for the grant should email info@wciprojects.org.
2023 Awardee: Children’s Hospital Colorado Dr. Jenny Zablah & Dr. Gareth Morgan
Virtual Reality Applications for Patients with Congenital Heart Disease
Technological advances have improved the design and processing power of virtual reality (VR) devices, making them more suitable for implementation in medical settings. VR has been used as a tool for medical education as a procedure can be repeated unlimited times; through practice, individuals can increase their understanding of surgical and procedural processes and improve their familiarity with the tools utilized.
The research team within Children's Hospital Colorado's catheterization laboratory has been working on VR technologies for the last 3 years. As a result, they have contributed to understanding the role of VR in patients with congenital heart disease, from patient distraction to procedural planning.
In this research study, the Children's Hospital Colorado team will aim to evaluate the role of VR for procedural planning in 4 specific scenarios focused on procedural planning, it's influence on radiation exposure, exposure, and procedure time, along with exploring the use for continuing education.