Abbey White with "Dino" and Dr. David Abramson.
Abbey White, a volunteer with the Retinoblastoma Society (U.K.), was 8 days old when she was diagnosed with the most common form of childhood eye cancer: retinoblastoma. And now she's hoping a green, bright-eyed, two-foot dinosaur will help kids better cope with the hereditary disease.
On July 24, Ms. White met with Dr. David Abramson, clinical professor of ophthalmology and director of the Robert M. Ellsworth Ophthalmic Oncology Center at Weill Cornell, and his staff, to promote "Dino," pegged the Retinoblastoma Dinosaur.
Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina, the sensory membrane that lines the eye. Each year, about 1 in 15,000 children develop the cancer the United States. Although the survival rate for children affected is increasingly good, many children will have one eye—or both—removed as part of their treatment. That's where Dino comes in. Dino has magnetic eyes that can be removed from realistic sockets. The cuddly dinosaur serves as a useful aid in explaining the surgical process of enucleation (eye removal), common in young children with retinoblastoma.
According to White, "Books aren't going to be effective in explaining to kids why their eye has to be removed. This dinosaur, with its bright red and green colors, will do a much better job."
Dino was created by The Retinoblastoma Society (U.K.), in conjunction with the Artificial Eye Service.
Photo by Shonda Prince-Hall.