Baby Fatima, a three-year-old from lahore, will now be able to enjoy full and healthy eyesight. This has become possible due to the efforts of a team of doctors at Hyderabad based lV Prasad Eye Institute. Suffering from a rare disease of retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer, Fatima was under treatment at Hyderabad hospital for the last one and a half years and finally the doctors declared her cancer-free.
The daughter of Namika and businessman Farooq Rashid, Fatima’s eye cancer was detected three months after her birth and after the initial treatment at lahore, her parents brought her to the famous lVPEI for advanced treatment.
“I am grateful to the Indian doctors for curing her illness”, said a beaming Namika. Farooq Rashid and recalled how the family of three crossed the border at Wagah and reached Hyderabad for the treatment of their daughter. “Unfortunately, we do not have these kinds of facilities in Pakistan”, he said.
Dr Swathi Kalaki, Ocular Oncologist informed the media that after undergoing laser surgery and combination of chemotherapy, and radiation; the girl fully recovered from her illness. With the news of successful treatment of Fatima spreading in Pakistan, five more babies from across the border have come to lVPEI for treatment of the same problem, Dr Swathi said.
“Retinoblastoma affects one in 15,000 to 18,000 children and its earlier detection increases the chance of survival of the patient,” added Dr Swathi. Every year, 8,000 cases of retinoblastoma are detected worldwide, out of them, 1,000 are detected in India alone.
“We treat about 150 to 200 cases every year including about 5 to 10 per cent in late stage”, she added. The symptoms of the problems include white reflex, squint, redness, swelling of eyes and change of color of iris. Namika was all praise for the Indian doctors for their spirit of service by staying back in their own country. “Our doctors go abroad to serve”, she said.