CHECT launches Hospital to Hospital Challenge

The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) has launched a new fundraising challenge to mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September.

The sponsored virtual challenge invites participants to walk, run, swim, or cycle the distance between the UK’s two specialist retinoblastoma treatment centres in London and Birmingham (122 miles, or 244 miles there-and-back) over the month.

The Hospital to Hospital (H2H) Challenge seeks to raise awareness and “vital funds” for families affected by retinoblastoma, Richard Ashton, CEO of CHECT, said.

The distance between the two treatment centres – Royal London Hospital and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust – is symbolic of the journeys families affected by retinoblastoma make for life-saving care, the charity highlighted.

The charity is encouraging optical professionals to participate in the H2H Challenge by raising awareness in practice or hosting a fundraiser.

Ashton said: “You can take on our H2H Challenge as either an individual or a team – so why not get your colleagues involved too?”

The charity highlighted the importance of early detection, with CHECT’s 2024 data shows 61% of children were diagnosed at a specialist centre within two weeks of first presenting symbols, “a significant improvement from the 10-year average of 53%.”

Sharing a message for optical professionals, Ashton said: “Optometrists and dispensing opticians are often the first professionals parents turn to when they notice something unusual, and your vigilance in carrying out examinations where parents report concerns, such as having seen a white glow or a new squint, and making appropriate referrals can help to save lives, sight, and eyes.”

More details on the challenge can be found here, or by contacting CHECT’s fundraising manager, Priyanka Kotecha.

Pictured: H2H Challenge participants Devon Boshoff and Danni Winrow.