Ottawa, Canada – October, 2023
Mombasa, Kenya, August, 2023
In early 2023, we cancelled plans for the 2023 conference in Ottawa, Canada, due to the timing of the International Society of Ocular Oncology congress in Africa – the first-ever meeting of ISOO on the continent. ISOO Africa 2023 took place on August 21 – 23 in Mombasa, Kenya.
Key members of our One Rb World 2023 event planning and scientific program team from Canada, the UK and USA were involved in the planning and support of ISOO Africa, as were many of our anticipated speakers. We therefore cancelled One Rb World 2023 so we could all prioritise retinoblastoma care In Africa without becoming thinly stretched.
Most children with retinoblastoma in Africa die. Many never reach specialist care, and families who do reach care often struggle to continue treatment due to the costs, lack of support, and practicalities of being far from home.
Well established retinoblastoma programs and partnerships in all regions of Africa show that childhood eye cancer can be cured throughout the continent, but the challenges are great for families and medical professionals.
ISOO is the primary organization for ocular oncologists and allied professionals, with a mission to advance eye cancer research and care worldwide. ISOO Africa 2023 focused primarily on retinoblastoma care in Africa, the challenges that cause so many children to die, and practical solutions to improve care and cure. The program included sessions on early diagnosis, pathology, management of advanced Rb, vision-saving opportunities, psychosocial supports, and international collaborations.
We keenly supported this meeting, and were delighted to be involved in its planning, promotion, and program. We appreciated very much your understanding of our decision to cancel One Rb World 2023.
Read more about the highly successful ISOO Africa conference in our December 2023 blog, in which we also look forward to One Retinoblastoma World 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. This article was written by ISOO Africa attendees and One Rb World meeting co-chairs Dr. Jesse L. Berry (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, USA and ISOO Vice President) and Marissa D. Gonzalez (World Eye Cancer Hope USA President), and fellow One Rb World co-Chair Sandra E. Staffieri PhD (Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Australia).
