EYE-OPENER: A squint in the eye? It can be Eye- Cancer!

EYE-OPENER: A squint in the eye? It can be Eye- Cancer!

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Ram on celebrating his first birthday had realized something very soon.

As soon as the birthday’s albums came out, his parents realized something was not quite right.

There was a visible white glow in his left eye. Internationally renowned Dr Santosh G Honavar, Director, Ophthalmic and Facial Plastic Surgery and Ocular Oncology, Centre for Sight Superspeciality Eye Hospital, Hyderabad, and Cankids Advisor, said, “The incidence of retinoblastoma is one in 10000 live births. That makes 2500 cases of retinoblastoma each year in India.  Ram had advanced stage of retinoblastoma and removal of that eye would save his life. He underwent surgery and was fitted with a life-like prosthetic eye”, said Dr Santosh G Honavar.

Rahul and her elder sister were both diagnosed with the genetic of retinoblastoma as babies. Rahul is lucky to be alive but his elder sister was not so fortunate, as late detection of eye cancer proved fatal for her. "It is absolutely crucial that parents are aware of this cancer and know what the early signs are so that treatment can be given as early as possible" said Kavita, Rahul’s mother.

“Doctors at RP Center, AIIMS alerted us that there is a high probability of siblings developing the same ailment because of the genetic nature of transmission, so we kept a close watch in his case,” said Kavita, who now works with the Parent Support Group (PSG) of NGO CanKids-KidsCan and plays a major role of World Retinoblastoma Awareness fortnight May 12-30. "I sincerely hope that this campaign, and my involvement, will educate and awaken people to the danger of retinoblastoma and highlight the ways in which it can be detected in its early stages". Rahul, 16, now sports an artificial eye and studies in Class 6 at a school in Delhi.

According to CanKids chairperson, Poonam Bagai, the NGO is preparing to launch a nation wide awareness programme as part of the World Retinoblastoma Awareness fortnight, May 12-30.

As in the case of Rahul, early detection and a mother's vigilance also saved the life of Mumbai girl, Akansha, now 16. The Class 10 student was detected and treated for eye cancer at Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, Mumbai when she was only eight-months-old. Her mother Anita, 42, is also an eye cancer survivor.  In her case, the ailment was detected when she was just over two years. Anita, who now works with the NGO, said: “The hereditary nature of eye cancer is shown clearly in our family. My daughter got it after me. We suspected this could happen.”

World Retinoblastoma Awareness Fortnight, which runs until Friday, included the launch of the Sajiv Project Save Life, Save Vision, and awareness campaigns in the major eye hospital across the country.

"We organised Art Competition for cancer patients, survivors and their families as part of this year's ICCD theme -Access to Care. The key message was that childhood cancer is curable - when detected in time and treated properly at a Retinoblastoma cancer centre," Deputy General Manager Medical Haresh Gupta said. In Delhi, over 25 children with cancer, survivors and parents from AIIMS and Dr. Shroff`s Charity Eye Hospital, participated the competition and enjoyed the program held at  Dr Shroff`s Charity Eye Hospital, Daryaganj he said. In Lucknow, the activity was held at King George Medical University, he said.

Sonal Sharma, Director Parent and KCK Survivors Group said, “We are sure that the PSG involvement will have a huge impact on the success of this campaign to raise awareness of the signs of retinoblastoma. The PSG comprises volunteer parents whose children themselves have battled the disease. The PSG also gives emotional support to patients and their parents.”

To sum it up, retinoblastoma is the most common eye cancer in children. If not detected early and treated appropriately, it can be life-threatening. Any child with white reflex in the eye or squint needs an immediate consultation with an eye specialist. Early diagnosis and protocol-based management at a multi-speciality retinoblastoma treatment centre can result in life, eye and vision salvage.