Donate today to equip healthcare workers with life-saving Arclight devices.
Each $25, $50, or $75 gift funds a high-tech solar powered Arclight ophthalmoscope, and training to examine children’s eyes and detect eye cancer early.
Please help us reach our goal of providing 500 Arclights across nine low and middle income countries in 2025, and low resource communities in the USA.
Why Support the Campaign?
Every day, children’s lives are jeopardized by delayed diagnosis of retinoblastoma eye cancer. While 98% of children are cured in High Income Countries like the USA, UK, and Canada, estimated global survival is less than 40% – some ophthalmologists have never seen a child survive retinoblastoma, primarily because they are diagnosed too late for life-saving treatment.
We can change this, by combining the power of early signs education, the innovative Arclight ophthalmoscope, and swift action for children needing specialist care.
This Giving Tuesday, join our campaign to deliver hope of life-saving early detection across nine low and middle income countries in 2025, and low resource communities in the USA. For these families, barriers to diagnosis are greatest and early detection is often the difference between a child living or dying.
Arclight Exam and What Findings Mean
In the following video, can you identify which findings indicate the child needs a specialist referral? Answers are shown after each image is presented – test begins at 2:00.
What’s The Impact?
Our Arclight Giving Tuesday campaign is part of a global movement to provide the knowledge, tools, and resources needed for retinoblastoma early diagnosis in resource-limited countries and communities where preventable death from childhood eye cancer is highest.
In many low and middle-income countries, and resource limited communities in high income countries, children face life-threatening delays due to low awareness among parents and healthcare workers, and poor access to healthcare.
Your contribution helps us:
- Supply Arclight ophthalmoscopes.
- Support relevant training to community health workers to examine children’s eyes and appropriately refer children with possible eye cancer or other potentially blinding eye conditions.
- Provide resources that empower parents to advocate for their children.
Early detection and referral supports timely diagnosis and treatment of eye cancer. With prompt diagnosis and treatment, we give children the best chance of cure and a healthy, fruitful life beyond childhood eye cancer.
Early diagnosis also reduces many emotional, financial, psychosocial, and practical burdens on the family, supporting higher quality of life during treatment, and better outcomes for every member of the family.
When children are diagnosed early, limited resources are used more effectively, treatment costs are reduced, and more lives are saved.
Read More About the Arclight
The Arclight and Fundal Reflex Test: Shining the Light on Retinoblastoma
Screening children’s eyes with the Fundal “Red” Reflex test is key to early detection of retinoblastoma, but until recently, it was difficult to deliver in many countries. Dr Andrew Blaikie, ophthalmologist and clinical lead for the Arclight Project at the University of St Andrews, describes the importance of this simple exam, and how the Arclight improves eye health access and outcomes for children with eye cancer around the world.
Pearls of Light: The Pathway to Retinoblastoma Early Detection
Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma saves children’s lives, and offers the best opportunity for safe vision saving therapy. But worldwide, many children are diagnosed late. KnowTheGlow founder, Megan Webber, and WE C Hope USA President, Marissa D. Gonzalez discuss how our early detection partnership evolved, and update on the progress we’re making for children in Africa and Asia.
Simulation eyes train then assess participants to confirm correct use of the device, and how to interpret clinical signs for early diagnosis.
Want To Go Even Further?
Shine a greater light – set up a fundraising page to help equip even more healthcare workers with Arclights.
Choose a fundraising goal, tell your community how early detection saves children’s lives, make a donation, and invite others to join you in lighting the way to early detection this holiday season!
Every dollar you raise helps educate parents and equip healthcare workers with the tools, training, and knowledge they need to detect and refer potential retinoblastoma early, so the child receives timely, lifesaving care.
Magnify the Light of Hope – Create your Online Fundraising Page now!
You can create an inspiring fundraising page with these easy steps.
- Go to the Fundraising Hub: for WE C Hope USA or WE C Hope UK.
- Click the “Fundraise” Button: The location differs on the USA and UK hubs:
- USA: The “Fundraise” button is to the right of the “Team Members” heading, just below our large logo at the top of the page.
- UK: The “Fundraise” button is at the top, to the right of our logo and name.
- Log in, or create an account.
- Give your page an inspiring title: This will appear as the page link name when you share the link on social media.
- Set your fundraising goal: if you’d like to fund a specific number of Arclights, multiply this number by $25 (the cost per ophthalmoscope, including shipping and training resources).
- Tell your story: help visitors understand what retinoblastoma means to you and why you’re fundraising for WE C Hope. Whether you’re a parent, survivor, or friend, sharing a glimpse of your journey will inspire others to act.
- Explain the campaign need and impact in LMICs to save lives. You can copy/paste the provided text, or write your own heartfelt message.
- Add compelling visuals: You’re welcome to use the photos and video below.
- Make your own donation: Kickstart your campaign by making the first donation, or privately ask someone to donate before sharing the page with your networks. Your financial commitment encourages others to give, and to give more. The first several donations set a trend – a higher sum may put off potential donors with less ability to give, while a small donation may encourage consistently small donations. Carefully consider how much to donate when making the first donation.
- Customise your webpage link: If you wish. Doing so makes the URL easier to share and remember.
- Invite Others to Give: Share your page with family, friends, and social networks. Ask them to join you in supporting early detection by making a donation and spreading the word. Remember that personal requests are more effective than sharing the link in round robin emails, group chats, or social media.
Donors can leave a message with their gift. They will automatically receive an e-receipt (which is also a tax receipt) and thank you note from WE C Hope. You will receive a notification, and can also send them a thank you.
Suggested Copy/Paste Text for Supporter Fundraising Pages
Please feel free to copy and paste the following text into your fundraising page along with yourt own story and message.
Retinoblastoma, the most common eye cancer in children, is highly curable – 98% of children are cured in resource-rich countries like the USA and UK. But around the world, cure is barely 40%.
The most common early signs are a white glow in the pupil (leukocoria) and a turned eye (strabismus). Early detection of these signs leads to timely diagnosis and treatment, with the best potential to save life and sight. This is especially true in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), where access to primary healthcare and retinoblastoma specialist care is limited.
The Arclight ophthalmoscope is a game-changer for early detection in these resource-limited communities. Solar-powered, portable, and affordable, it empowers frontline healthcare workers everywhere to examine children’s eyes, detect the early signs of eye disease early, consult remotely with specialists, and refer children quickly to appropriate ophthalmology care.
With your support, WE C Hope can bring these vital devices to communities across nine low and middle income countries in 2025, and resource limited communities in the USA, train healthcare workers to deliver effective primary care eye exams and rapid referral, and spread awareness about retinoblastoma early signs.
Early detection is the best cure, and we can all light the way to early detection this Holiday season. Please help me save precious young lives around the world by shining the Arclight on childhood eye cancer!
More than 50 community health workers in Nepal were trained to use Arclights donated by WE C Hope in 2024, and to recognize and quickly refer children with early signs of retinoblastoma and other potentially blinding eye disease.
Your Story Makes a Difference!
Every individual in our retinoblastoma community has a unique story to tell – whether parent, survivor, sibling, professional, extended family member or supporter. Our 2020 blog explores the importance of storytelling, how sharing your story can impact your own life and others, and tips for telling.
Read the Blog: 4 Key Ways Sharing Your Story Makes a Difference, and Tips for Telling
Give Light and Spark Hope this Giving Tuesday!
Help us shine the ArcLight on childhood eye cancer and bring the lifesaving gift of early detection to children in some of the world’s poorest countries and communities. Together we can save more precious young lives and families!
In Fiji, bilateral Rb survivor Sera gives a big thumbs up to everyone who helps give children access to early detection and life-saving care.
