Center of Excellence in Treating Pediatric Retinoblastoma, at Marie Curie Hospital

Every year, in Romania, 7 - 10 children are diagnosed with retinoblastoma. This is a type of cancer of the eye, most frequently met in small children and babies, that can lead to blindness, eyeloss and even death. Even though the recovery rate is good (when discovered and treated in time), the lack of equipment leads the patients to seek treatment in other countries, many times too late.

Dăruiește Viață is helping create the Center of Excellence in Treating Pediatric Retinoblastoma, within Marie Curie Children's Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, by donating the essential equipment for conservative (eye-preserving) treatment. The investment worth approx. EUR 176,000 consisted of purchasing a surgical microscope, a laser adapter and a cryode. The Association had previously purchased a state-of-the-art ophtalmologic laser for the hospital. This Center of Excellence will serve patients from all around the country (both new cases and patients under observation).

"We want to create a reference center for treating retinoblastomas in Romania, so that we can treat children here and stop having to send them abroad. Pediatric eye cancers have a very good survival rate if they are diagnosed and treated in time. With the correct equipment and infrastructure, we can do that." – Dr. Cristina Nițulescu, Pediatric Ophtalmologist, Marie S. Curie Emergency Children's Hospital

Apart from retinoblastomas, the equipment can also be used to treat other ophtalmological diseases, many of them currently inoperable in Romania in newborns and babies: congenital cataracts, retinal detachments, complications regarding retinopathy of prematurity.

Taking into account the #NoiFacemUnSpital project, creating this center of excellence within Marie Curie Hospital will help provide multidisciplinary care to children with cancer, having a dedicated medical team and the expertise and equipment needed to offer the best possible healthcare, at Western standards. In addition to that, the hospital receives patients between 0 and 18 years old from all around the country and provides anesthesiology services regardless of the child's age or weight.

This investment brings us closer to transforming Marie Curie Hospital into a regional hub for treating children at the highest standards.

Main partner: UniCredit Bank 

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Photo: microscope and training (credit: Cătălin Georgescu), laser diode, Dr. Nițulescu during a procedure