Bangalore-based Narayana Nethralaya has signed up a collaborative deal with 'Hospital for Sick Children' (Sick Kids) in Toronto, Canada with the intention to fight against retinoblastoma and save kids from becoming blind.

Retinoblastoma is an uncommon eye cancer type that affects kids, generally aged below 5. Around one child in every 15000, is suffers from Retinoblastoma.

The deal is facilitated by Healthy Kids International, a SickKids Organisation that backed up various global projects.

Dr. K Bhujang Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Nethralaya stated that this partnership is a major step for the management of the children's eye cancer in India.

Dr. Shetty added that main objective of the 25-year-old institute is that no kid with vision and serious diseases will be shunned away for want of funds.

Dr. Ashwin Mallipatna, Head of Retinoblastoma Services Narayana Nethralaya, who was trained at Sick Kids for 2-years by Dr. Brenda Gallie, an authority on the disease stated, "Approximately one child in every 15,000 children is affected by Retinoblastoma. This is the most common cancer of the eye in India and third most common type of cancer in children here".

To mark this noteworthy occasion, Sandalwood star Ramya and kids having Retinoblastoma left their hand traces on clay.