L V Prasad Eye Institute hosts ‘Whitathon Run’ to raise awareness about Eye Cancers in Children

Whitathon Run, initiated in 2018, is L V Prasad Eye Institute’s annual cause-related event focusing on raising awareness and funds for early diagnosis and treatment of Retinoblastoma – a Life and Vision-threatening Eye Cancer in Children. One of the most common symptoms of Retinoblastoma is White Reflex (white glow) in a child’s eye. Through this run, LVPEI aims to raise awareness among the public that if they spot a ‘White Reflex’ in a child’s eye, it could be a sign of eye cancer that needs immediate medical intervention. The funds raised through this run, helps the Institute to provide free treatment to children from underprivileged families who have retinoblastoma.

The Fourth Edition of the WHITATHON RUN was organized at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road, Hyderabad. Like every year, this year too Hyderabad Runners supported the run. There are three categories in the run – 3km (fun run), 5Km (timed run) and 10km (timed run). The run was flagged off by Sri M Rajesh Chandra, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police. Dr Gullapalli N Rao – Founder and Chair, Board of Trustees, L V Prasad Eye Institute and Dr Swathi Kaliki, Ocular Oncologist and Head - Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer at L V Prasad Eye Institute.

Speaking after flagging of the run Sri Rajesh Chandra said, Whitathon Run is for a noble cause to create awareness about eye cancers in children. Early detection of eye cancer helps save several lives of kids besides their sight and eye.

 Dr Gullapalli N Rao said, we are here for a very important cause, saving the lives of children. Which is possible by raising public awareness about eye cancer in children. This helps parents to seek appropriate medical help as soon as they identify abnormality in child’s eye and that can be treated, we can save lives, and in early stage the sight and the eye too can be saved. Nearly 20 to 25% of the world burden of this problem is shared by our country, which is approximately 1500 to 2000 cases. Dr Swathi and her team at L V Prasad Eye Institute, take care of a large percentage of these cases in the country. So, we need your help to raise awareness about this. What we are addressing in India is a tip of the iceberg, several, especially in the rural areas go undetected and end up in death. We want to promote awareness to prevent needless deaths among children from eye cancer.