My Journey to BSH 2025: A Trainee's Perspective from Sri Lanka

I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend the British Society for Haematology (BSH) Annual Scientific Meeting 2025, held in Glasgow from April 27 to 29. I’m deeply grateful to the HaemStar ISTH Legacy Fund for making this experience possible through their generous support.

Although I am currently working as a Clinical Fellow at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, attending the BSH 2025 Conference marked a significant milestone in my journey as a Paediatrics trainee from Sri Lanka. I was both thrilled and admittedly a little nervous to present two posters based on work I had carried out back home in Sri Lanka. I had the privilege of showcasing a research project titled ‘Place of Bone Marrow Examinations in Children: A Study from a Resource-Limited Setting’ and a case report on ‘Infantile Giant Cell Hepatitis with Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in a Sri Lankan Infant.’

The research poster focused on the utility of bone marrow examinations in children, reflecting the challenges we often encounter in day-to-day clinical work. Our findings revealed that only about half of the examinations resulted in pathological diagnoses. This highlighted an important consideration: with greater access to advanced laboratory investigations, the need for this invasive procedure could be significantly reduced, especially in low-resource settings like ours. I particularly appreciated the engaging and constructive discussions during the Poster Walk. Many clinicians shared insightful perspectives on the growing potential of non-invasive diagnostic tools. These interactions made the entire experience deeply stimulating and professionally rewarding.

An unexpected meeting with my consultant, Dr. Chandima Thevarpperuma, co-author of my abstracts and a mentor for the project, who had travelled all the way from Sri Lanka, was an unforgettable highlight of the conference. Meeting in person and sharing this professional milestone together made the experience even more memorable. I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my co-authors who supported me throughout this journey, as well as to my other supervising consultants Dr. Nipunika Senadheera, Consultant Haematologist, and Dr. Kumudu Weerasekara, Consultant Paediatrician.

Before arriving, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Glasgow or the conference itself. But from the moment I stepped into the venue, I felt welcomed into a vibrant community of passionate haematology professionals from around the world. The sessions were both thought-provoking and inspiring, covering a wide range of topics from cutting-edge therapies to practical clinical insights. I especially appreciated the focus on paediatric haematology, which not only strengthened my clinical understanding but also sparked new ideas for future research. The sessions on advanced treatment options for children with haemophilia were particularly fascinating and gave me a deeper appreciation of how rapidly the field is evolving.

I was truly amazed by the advancements in gene therapies and other novel treatments in the field of hematology being developed and implemented in high-resource settings. At the same time, it was a stark reminder of the disparities that still exist, while the developed world moves forward with innovations, many parts of the developing world continue to struggle with access to even basic healthcare resources. Attending this conference reinforced my commitment to advocating for improved paediatric care in resource-limited settings. It has inspired me to engage more actively with stakeholders in my country and to build international collaborations that can help elevate the quality of healthcare back home.

Participating in BSH ASM 2025 has been a truly transformative experience. It has expanded my horizons, strengthened my interest in paediatric haematology, and further fueled my passion for ongoing research in resource-limited settings. I’m deeply grateful to the HaemStar ISTH Legacy Fund and my paediatrics team at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for making this journey possible.