LV Prasad Eye Institute’s flagship WHITATHON Run to Raise Awareness and Funds for Retinoblastoma Treatment held

L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) organized the sixth edition of ‘WHITATHON’ Run on May 19, to raise awareness about the early detection of Retinoblastoma (eye cancer) in children and funds for its treatment. The event commemorates the World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week, observed for seven days starting on the second Sunday in May, every year. The run was flagged off by Dr Vineeth. G, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police – Madhapur Zone, at the University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, today.

The funds raised from the Whitathon run are utilized to treat underprivileged children suffering from Retinoblastoma at no cost, and to support future research. This year, over 2000 enthusiastic participants joined the cause, demonstrating strong community supportfor the event.

Dr Vineeth. G, speaking on the occasion said, heartening to see the huge participation in support of a noble cause of aiding patients of Retinoblastoma and the run is aptly called Whitathon. The money raised through this helps to render free treatment for patients who can’t afford the treatment cost.  

Dr Swathi Kaliki, Head - Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, LVPEI; addressing the gathering said, L V Prasad Eye Institute is organising the run called ‘WHITATHON’ today, to raise awareness and early detection of eye cancer called Retinoblastoma. The white reflex seen in the eyes of the children can be a sign of eye cancer and any child with such reflex should be taken for an eye screening immediately. The forming of a tumour in the retina leads to this white reflex. Detecting retinoblastoma in the early stages is critical, as it aids in preserving the sight, the eye and saving the life. Retinoblastoma can be hereditary, therefore the next generation in the family should also get screened for it. Over 2200 participants are supporting this run.

Dr Vijay Anand Reddy, Director, Apollo Cancer Hospital; said, eye cancer or retinoblastoma is a phenomenon seen in just born to six year old children. It is essential to detect this early and seek immediate treatment, as over 90% of the patients with this disease can be cured.    

Retinoblastoma is a rare eye cancer that primarily affects children under three years of age. The treatment usually involves multiple expensive procedures and surgeries, with close monitoring over several months. Over the past decade, LVPEI has treated more than 2500 patients, about 60-65% of them free of cost. Annually, the institute treats 150 to 200 new cases of Retinoblastoma, with 40% of them in the later stages and 10% in very late stage. Early detection and treatment ensure better outcomes for the children.

About Whitathon: Whitathon is LVPEI’s annual cause-related running event aimed at raising awareness and funds for the early diagnosis and treatment of life and vision-threatening Retinoblastoma in children. The event highlights the importance of early detection, as the cancer is curable if treated promptly. The signature symptom of Retinoblastoma is a white reflex in the child’s eye, which requires immediate medical attention. White reflex is a white or yellowish-white glow that appears in the pupil (the black part) of a child's eye when light is shined on it, especially in photos taken with a flash.Other symptoms include poor vision, redness of the eyes and squint eyes.  

The winners in the various categories of the run are

10 KM Top 3 Women

1st Winner Suparna Das, Jersey No. 1126 Time: 50:08 Seconds

2nd Winner Madhumathi Sanjay, Jersey No. 1157 Time: 57:47 Seconds

3rd Winner Vandana Pramod, Jersey No. 1249 Time: 58:20 Seconds

5 KM Top 3 Women

1st Winner Nelisiwe Gcinile Magongo, Jersey No. 5284 Time: 22:38 Seconds

2nd Winner Pinki Kumari, Jersey No. 5366 Time: 29:34 Seconds

3rd Winner Juhith, Jersey No. 5602 Time: 33:22 Seconds

10 KM Top 3 Men

1st Winner Kamlesh Jat, Jersey No. 1716 Time: 36:17 Seconds

2nd Winner Kiran K, Jersey No. 1720 Time: 36:40 Seconds

3rd Winner Megharaj BM, Jersey No. 1725 Time: 36:52 Seconds

5 KM Top 3 Men

1st Winner Sreekat Humanabade, Jersey No. 5705 Time: 18:31 Seconds

2nd Winner Sundhar Moorthy, Jersey No. 5704 Time: 18:56 Seconds

3rd Winner Kiran Kumar, Jersey No. 5706 Time: 19:12 Seconds

Dr Prashant Garg, Executive Chair, LVPEI; Dr Swathi Kaliki, Head - Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, LVPEI; Dilip Kumar Mohanty, Director, NMDC Ltd.; Dr Vijay Anand Reddy, Director, Apollo Cancer Hospital; Dr Vijay Karan Reddy, Consultant Oncologist; Sandeep Kumar, DGM, IDBI Bank and Abhijeet Madnurkar, President, Hyderabad Runners; graced the occasion.

Support and Participation: The success of Whitathon is attributed to the overwhelming participation and support from the community, sponsors, and volunteers.

Diamond sponsors: Alcon Laboratories (India) Pvt Ltd

Gold sponsors: National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) Ltd, GTN Industries Ltd and Gebauer Medizintechnik GMBH

Silver sponsors: IDBI Bank Ltd

Bronze sponsors: Aswini Homeo & Ayurvedic Products Pvt Ltd, Biomedix Optotechnik & Devices Pvt Ltd, ENAM Holdings Pvt Ltd, Cure Foundation and People Prime Worldwide Pvt Ltd

Supporters: Asian Surgical Company and Asian Engineering Company, GSR Hospitality Services and Alankar Traders

About LVPEI: Established in 1987, L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Prevention of Blindness, is a comprehensive eye health facility. The Institute has ten functional arms to its areas of operations: Clinical Services, Education, Research, Vision Rehabilitation, Rural and Community Eye Health, Eye Banking, Advocacy and Policy Planning, Capacity Building, Innovation, and Product Development. The LVPEI Eye Care Network has over 300 centres across India, including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Karnataka. The institute’s mission is to provide equitable and quality eye care to all sections of society. The LVPEI’s five-tier ‘Eye Health Pyramid’ model, covering all areas of the community right from the villages to the city, provides high quality and comprehensive - prevention, curative, and rehabilitation – eye care to all. It has served over 36.89 million (3 crores 68 lakh people), with more than 50% entirely free of cost, irrespective of the complexity of care needed.