Spokesman Report
Islamabad: Over the past three years, the Al-Shifa Eye Cancer Centre has successfully performed 2,500 sessions of chemotherapy procedures for children who have been diagnosed with eye cancer.
President Al-Shifa Trust Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan said every stage of the procedure—from evaluation to chemotherapy and rehabilitation—is handled under one roof, making our hospital a unique resource for treating patients suffering from eye cancer.
While speaking at a seminar titled “Story of challenges and opportunities,” he expressed gratitude to kind donors for helping to defray the exorbitant expense of treating eye disease. He also complimented the medical staff, treating cancer patients with utmost care and dedication.
He said, “Our donors are transforming millions of lives and assisting suffering humanity in rewriting their stories while becoming contributing members of society.”
Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan stated that as protecting and restoring eyesight is a noble objective, we will continue to treat impoverished children with eye cancer at no cost despite all financial difficulties.
On that occasion, Prof Dr Tayyab Afghani, HOD Oculoplastics, said that the number of eye cancer patients is increasing. As compared to the regional countries, Pakistan is witnessing an increase in eye cancer cases in children at an alarming pace, he said.
Children’s eye cancer in Pakistan is higher than in India and China, and genetic diagnosis can reduce children’s eye cancer cases.
Dr Afghani said that 2000 children with eye cancer have been registered of whom 500 have fully recovered.
The Al-Shifa Eye Cancer Center caters to surgery, chemotherapy, and rehabilitation under one roof, free of cost. The patients include non-affording men, women, and especially children, and 86 percent of all eye cancer patients are children, he informed.
Two sister departments support the eye cancer center; one is ophthalmology genetic, which provides genetic screening of the parents to assess any possibility of cancer in future races and suggest how it can be prevented.
The second department is the aesthetic department, which minimizes the effects of chemotherapy and radiation on the skin and face. The adverse effects of the treatment, like facial scars, rejuvenate the damaged skin so that the patient can live a good quality of life.
Tanzeela Farha, paediatric oncologist; Dr. Maheen Akbar, Ocular Oncologist; Ms. Maryam Ijaz, guest speaker; Prof Dr. Ayesha Babar Kawish, HOD Al-Shifa School of Public Health; Dr. Rutaba Gul, Dr Aneesa Sultan, also spoke on the occasion and shared their experiences.
After the seminar, gifts were distributed to the eye cancer survivors while the participants were presented with shields and certificates.
It is pertinent to mention that Al-Shifa Trust has set up a chain of international-standard hospitals in Rawalpindi, Kohat, Sukkur, Muzaffarabad, and Chakwal.
Al-Shifa Rawalpindi facility is Asia’s biggest children’s eye hospital. These hospitals benefit millions of patients annually free of cost.