Annie, an important member of our team, retired on April 15th. Abby White, retinoblastoma survivor, WE C Hope founder and volunteer CEO, reflects on working with her guide dog for seven years. She considers the many varied gifts Annie has brought to both herself as an individual retinoblastoma survivor, and to WE C Hope.
Just 3 paediatric oncologists serve Ghana’s population of 29 million, but this dedicated team leads one of the best childhood cancer programs in West Africa. Dr. Vera Essuman (paediatric ophthalmologist) and Prof. Lorna Renner (paediatric oncologist) discuss retinoblastoma in Ghana and the development of care for children with eye cancer across the country.
On March 10, 2019, our beloved child life specialist Jayne Kamau died aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 as she returned home from SIOPAfrica in Cairo. WE C Hope Child Life Director, Morgan Livingstone, reflects on more than a decade of mentoring, friendship and working together to advance child life in Kenya. Co-authored with WE C Hope CEO, Abby White.
Examinations Under Anaesthetic (EUA) are an essential part of retinoblastoma diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance follow up care. Combining content from our Child Life Resource, Morgan Livingstone CCLS CIMI MA reviews 10 ways parents can support children of all ages through the experience to benefit everyone’s wellbeing.
Talking about a child’s cancer with family and friends can be deeply cathartic for parents one day, and utterly exhausting the next. Asking for and receiving help can be a minefield too. Morgan Livingstone CCLS explores why this is so, and offers tips and tools to reduce stress, improve coping and boost effective practical support.
The WE C Hope blog has been busy in 2018. We’ve shared 24 posts from 17 authors – parents, survivors, researchers or professionals providing retinoblastoma-related care. Each has brought valuable experience, knowledge and perspective, and we are very thankful to them all. Here is a recap of posts we’ve shared in the past 12 months.
Do you know the difference between a biopsy and pathology, or an RB1 gene deletion and Chromosome 13q deletion? Do you know how a retinoma becomes retinoblastoma or when remission becomes cure? In Part 2 of a mini-series, WE C Hope CEO Abby White explains these and other terms, and why using them correctly is important.
Do you know the difference between lazy eye and squint, or an ocular oncologist and a paediatric oncologist? Do you know when extraocular Rb becomes metastatic, or why trilateral Rb is neither of these? In Part 1 of a mini-series, WE C Hope CEO Abby White explains these and other terms, and why using them correctly is important.
Parents and survivors have valuable lived experience that can shape retinoblastoma research to improve health outcomes. Kaitlyn Flegg reviews progress of the innovative Canadian Retinoblastoma Research Advisory Board, where parent and survivor priorities are setting the research agenda.
Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) offers potential to save eyes and sight in children with retinoblastoma, when life is not at risk. Through the FAQ of this treatment, Sameh Soliman, MD reviews its goals, indications for use, benefits, risks and limitations, and offers resources for further reading.
