LVPEI Holds Whitathon in Hyderabad to Raise Awareness on Childhood Eye Cancer

The L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) held the eighth edition of Whitathon in Hyderabad on Sunday, May 10, 2026, to raise awareness about retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer in children, and to raise funds for treatment and research. The event drew approximately 2,000 participants who took part in a half marathon, 10K, and 5K runs.

The half marathon was flagged off by Prashant Garg, executive chairman of LVPEI, alongside Vijay Anand Reddy, director of Apollo Cancer Centres, Hyderabad, and Arun Kumar Kalliapan, president of Hyderabad Runners. Dr. Garg stressed the importance of early symptom recognition, warning that delayed diagnosis often leads to loss of the affected eye and can endanger the child's life.

Dr. Reddy emphasized that retinoblastoma primarily affects children under four and urged the public to increase community-level awareness. He stated that timely medical intervention can preserve both vision and life.

LVPEI said it will continue outreach and screening programs for early detection, with the next Whitathon scheduled for 2027.