Donate |  Contact Us

Awareness Campaigns

The majority of children with retinoblastoma in Africa are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and many children may die before diagnosis.  Most advanced and fatal cases are observed in rural, underprivileged communities.

The main causes of late diagnosis are Widespread illiteracy Near absent awareness of “white pupil” as an early sign of retinoblastoma.

The Need      Raising Awareness      Global Rb Strategy      Rati's Challenge          Hope For Africa          Kenyan Rb Strategy          Guidelines           National Registry           Awareness Raising           Co-ordinated Care           Child Life Support           Family Support           Artificial Eye Service      Retinoblastoma Book     World Rb Citizen Award

Please, Enable Java to view this applet!

Lack of access to health care information Poorly informed health care providers (primary care doctors, paediatricians, ophthalmologists, oncologists). Poverty leading to the principal use of traditional medicines. Transport costs and lack of family accommodation preventing access to care.

Early diagnosis is essential for survival of retinoblastoma.  When cancer is contained within the eye, surgical removal of that eye is curative.  However, the intensive therapy required for treatment of extensive retinoblastoma places considerable burdens on the family and health care system, with very limited chance of survival.  When early diagnosis is achieved, the costs of medical care are significantly lower, thus reducing the burden on the family and the local health care system. The most common early sign of retinoblastoma, a white pupil (leukocoria), can be easily detected by the general public.  Early diagnosis requires that: Parents and primary health care workers recognise this sign.  Prompt referral is made to an ophthalmologist familiar with retinoblastoma, to ensure complete diagnosis and appropriate management. Pilot Campaign We have already carried out a pilot Retinoblastoma Awareness Campaign in Kenya, targeting both medical personnel and the public. In 2006, a DECF team from Canada, the U.K. Ethiopia and Kenya found tremendous local interest in a T-shirt and poster campaign highlighting the “white pupil” in early diagnosis of retinoblastoma.  Structured Campaigns We are now developing structured awareness campaigns, to target both the public and health care workers.  These include: Inclusion of information about retinoblastoma and “white pupil” in the Ministry of Health Maternal and Child Health booklet.  This publication is sent to all registered health centres in Kenya, and is also given to families attending child immunisation clinics.Dissemination of educational posters to primary health centres, to promote knowledge and awareness among primary health providers. Circulation of parental education postcards during national infant vaccination campaigns, since most cases of retinoblastoma arise in this age group.  The principal Information will be presented in a pictorial format, to overcome the challenge of illiteracy in Kenya.  This project is being developed in partnership with the Kenya Expanded Program of Immunisation (KEPI). Public service announcements in the media Educational seminars during appropriate continuing medical education events To assess impact of increased awareness on early diagnosis and referral, we are initiating a retrospective study of children diagnosed and treated prior to start of the campaign.  This data will be compared to patient data collected during the campaign.  This will enable us to identify changes in the stage of disease and age of children at diagnosis, and the lag time between first sign of disease, first health care consultation, and eventual diagnosis and initiation of therapy The awareness campaigns will: Educate local medical professionals and general public on detection of the “white pupil” as an early sign of retinoblastoma. Achieve earlier detection of retinoblastoma in the home and clinic, before it progresses beyond the eye. Reduce mortality caused by late diagnosis. Possibly decrease public misconceptions and stigma associated with removal of an eye. Early diagnosis is a child’s only hope of cure in Africa.  These simple awareness raising strategies can dramatically reduce the tragic loss of precious children, and bring hope for their future as happy, healthy individuals.

Rati's Challenge          Kenyan Rb Strategy          Guidelines National Registry          Awareness Raising          Co-ordinated Care Child Life Support          Family Support          Artificial Eye Service

Who We Are |  What We Do |  Our Policies |  Contact Us

Home |  Retinoblastoma |  About Us |  Support Us |  News and Media |  DECF International Privacy |  Terms Of Use |  Disclaimer |  Site Map |  About This Site

Registered charity #: 111-11-33 Your computer must be running Java to view certain elements of this website. Please click here for information about how to switch on Java.