Sunday, August 9, 2009

Prayers please!




Please pray for my friend's little girl and her family. The little girl is under going experimental chemo for retinoblastoma (eye cancer). On the 12th they will know if the chemo is working. I am praying that the chemo is working, that there will be no long term side effects, and that the little girl remains the wonderful, sweet little girl she is. I'm not giving out too many personal details but I know every prayer is helpful and needed.

Also, I'd like to give a little information on retinoblastoma, so that others will know.
Retinoblastoma Info

What is it ~
Retinoblastoma is the most common eye cancer in children. It is a life-threatening cancer of the retina within the back of the eye. Retinoblastoma is generally discovered in babies between the ages of 6 and 24 months, although it can be found at earlier or later ages. Retinoblastoma occurs in approximately 1 in 15,000 live births, and it is estimated to affect approximately 250 to 300 children each year in the United States. Worldwide, about 5,000 children develop retinoblastoma
each year.

Who gets it ~
Retinoblastoma occurs equally in boys and girls and it is seen in all races. Retinoblastoma affects only one eye in about 70% of patients and it affects both eyes in 30% of patients. In some instances, there is a family history of retinoblastoma in a parent or relative, but in the majority of cases, there is no other member of the family affected with the tumor.

What causes it ~
The cause of retinoblastoma is unknown. It has not been related to nutrition, smoking, drinking, or any maternal problem during pregnancy. It is not related to environmental toxins. It can develop in an otherwise
healthy child despite a normal birth and
early development.

What does it look like ~
Retinoblastoma develops from a single affected cell in the retina and it is invisible at its inception. Later, a small white nodule is noted in the retina, but this is not visible to the parents and it does not affect the child at this point. With time, the tumor grows into a larger white vascular tumor that causes the child to painlessly lose vision and this can manifest with a drifting eye or an eye with a white or glassy-appearing pupil. At this point, the tumor is visible to the parents or grandparents and the child is typically taken to the doctor.

2 comments:

Benjamin Taylor said...

I'll keep her in the prayers of mines and hoping she'll make a good recovery!!!

Anonymous said...

my thoughts and prayers are with your little girl and family. life is always throwing challenges at us, and it's up to you to overcome them. my little girl is a retinoblastoma survivor. it's been four years since her diagnosis and she doing great. she's an amazing little girl. I wish you the very best.

Karina