Motorola helps the Childhood Eye Cancer TrustOne of our members, James Morley-Smith who works for Motorola, has a son who has been diagnosed with retinoblastoma. He saw the huge potential to reach people with the message about the signs of eye cancer through Motorola office TV screens. Motorola have helped him to realise this goal. His campaign involves displaying a specially designed slide on TV screens located in most of their offices globally. The MotoTV screens are located at reception areas, coffee and break stations and also in board rooms. This slide will be seen by potentially tens of thousands of staff which is fantastic.
If you have seen this slide on MotoTV and wanted to know more about eye cancer in children then please read on.
Do you want to know more about the signs of eye cancer in children?
Anyone can spot the strange white reflection in a photograph of a child with eye cancer. This cancer is very treatable if caught early, so we want people to get their child's eyes checked if they notice it.
Sometimes the light or flash from a camera can cause the pupils (the black circle in the middle of your eye) to look white in a photograph.
This could be due to the angle of the light when the photograph was taken or it can be a sign of something more serious.
There are several conditions which might show up like this, but the most serious is a rare cancer which affects children under the age of 5, called Retinoblastoma.
Other signs might be:
- If the pupil flashes white – a bit like a cat's eyes caught in the beam of a car headlights. You may notice this white reflection (called a reflex) in some artificial light, not just in a photograph.
- If the inside of the eye looks like jelly or is cloudy
- If one pupil is red and the other is black and looks "wrong"
- The eye may also be red and swollen and sometimes the child may have a squint.
The photos below show some example of the signs of retinoblastoma.
A "cat's eye" type of reflex when light shines on the pupil, or in flash photographs.
A black eye or absence of "red eye" in flash photographs.
A squint.
If you have noticed any of these signs then it is important to have your child's eyes checked.
Some important information.
This cancer develops in the retina in the back of the eye and mainly affects children under the age of 5 years old.
One or both eyes may be affected and for about 45% of those diagnosed it will be a genetic form of retinoblastoma.
Around 98% of children will survive after treatment (in the developed world).
Links to other retinoblastoma organisations
The links below are for different retinoblastoma organisations and charities around the world. Please be aware that the numbers of children affected by retinoblastoma vary in each country and treatment protocols also differ. We would like you to be aware of the following points.
- Retinoblastoma can affect children from all races and social backgrounds and occurs in both genders equally.
- In the developed world, retinoblastoma can be cured successfully using a range of treatments and 98% of children will survive. Most children in the developed world are diagnosed at a stage when the cancer is contained within the eye.
- Due to a lack of awareness of eye cancer, late diagnosis and poor access to treatment, children in developing countries are often diagnosed at an advanced stage so the disease is often fatal.
We are the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust
www.chect.org.uk
UK based organisation supports and advocates for people affected by retinoblastoma. It raises awareness and raises funds for research.
Retinoblastoma International (RBI)
www.retinoblastoma.net 'Fighting children's eye cancer'
RBI is a non profit organisation founded in LA, USA in 1998.
Retinoblastoma .com
www.retinoblastoma.com
This is the website of a treatment centre in New York, USA.
Daisy's Eye Cancer Fund
www.daisyseyecancerfund.org
The organisation is based between the UK and Canada and helps children in the developing world get across to treatment. It raises awareness throughout the world and supports people affected by retinoblastoma.
The Canadian Retinoblastoma Society (CRBS)
www.rbsociety.ca
An organisation working throughout Canada, supporting families, raising awareness and finding research.
Retinostop
www.retinostop.org/
For the English version visit www.retinostop.org/english/association.htmlRetinostop is a French Organisation which supports families affected by retinoblastoma, aids research and promotes early diagnosis. |
