Doctors & Staff from Sankara Eye Hospital blindfold themselves with blind footballers from Equibeing Foundation for eye cancer awareness

Bangalore, February 4, 2023: In a unique afternoon of football, 4 teams with blind and some blindfolded engaged in the game at Sankara Eye Hospital Bangalore on the eve of World Cancer Day, to showcase how sports & play can help those with vision impairment and their care givers gain confidence & resilience to return to their routine. The event had Muhammed Afsal researcher & member State blind football team in Kerala and Anantalakshmi, Founder, Equibeing participate with Dr Mahesh P Shanmugam, Head Vitreoretina & Ocular Oncology, Sankara Eye Foundation India.
 
An interactive workshop for children who are cancer survivors of the eye was also conducted along with their care givers to empower them with knowledge, skills and confidence so that their children can achieve to 100% of their potential.
 
Dr. Mahesh Shanmugam, Head Vitreoretina & Ocular Oncology Sankara Eye Hospital, Bangalore, said: “A number of eye cancers if identified early and treated can not only save lives, but help ensure useful vision is retained. At Sankara Eye Hospital, our centre for excellence in ocular oncology has worked on innovation in diagnosis & treatment, and we believe that every child can live to its potential if provided the appropriate environment. We are glad to work with Equibeing Foundation, using football as an awareness tool for eye care.”
 
“Sankara Eye Hospitals has been an organisation that I as a social entrepreneur have been happy to support. Children with vision impairment need support. Over the years, through Surya For Life, we are grateful to our patrons for supporting the terracotta jewellery we make, from whose proceeds we are able to support these awareness activities,” shared Poornima Sankar, Founder Surya for Life.
 
‘Retinoblastoma primarily found in children can be life threatening if not diagnosed on time. These children also need to be provided emotional support and the skills to live their life to their potential and the first step starts at the eye hospital. With the blindfold football match, we want to encourage Ophthalmologists and Optometrists to become ambassadors in creating awareness on this eye cancer and also enable the blind to live their lives to the full,” said Dr Ananthalakshmi, Founder, Equibeing,