Whitathon is an annual flagship run conducted by L V Prasad Eye Institute to raise awareness about eye cancer in children, Retinoblastoma, and also raise funds for underprivileged children with Retinoblastoma. The 6th edition of the run was conducted on May 19th, 2024, and attracted 2200 runners from all age groups and walks of life.
We were fortunate to have Dr. Vineeth G, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Madhapur Zone, attend the event and launch the 10K run along with Dr. Vijay Anand Reddy, Director of Apollo Cancer Hospital, Shri Dilip Kumar Mohanty, Director (Production and Personnel), NMDC Ltd, Dr. Prashant Garg, Executive Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute, and Dr. Swathi Kaliki, Head, Operation Eye Sight Universal, Institute for Eye Cancer, L V Prasad Eye Institute.
We had a total of 2132 registrations (756 runners participated in the 10K timed run, 414 runners in the 5K timed run, 310 participants in the 5K Fun Run, and 652 participants in the 3K Fun Run). In addition, we had 100 volunteers on the field, supported by the Synchrony and Hyderabad Runners teams, and 140 Army runners also joined the event.
Whitathon 2024 not only increased awareness about Retinoblastoma but also served as a valuable community involvement and team-building activity.
Retinoblastoma – a cancer of the retina (the so-called screen of the eye) – occurs commonly in children between the ages of 0 to 4 years. It is a highly curable cancer when detected early. Parents need to be aware of the early symptoms such as a white spot in the center of the eye, redness in the eye, improper movement of the eyeball, and improper vision.
