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For Release Monday,
27th January, 2003 |
CONTACT:
Bill Parizek |
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PHONE:
850-245-4111
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TALLAHASSEE-
Florida Department of Health (DOH) Secretary John O. Agwunobi, M.D., M.B.A., joins with the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Pam Bergsma to recognize January as Joey Bergsma Retinoblastoma Awareness Month and remind parents and doctors of the importance of newborn and infant eye examinations.
Eye examinations can quickly alert parents to the need for corrective lenses as well as potentially devastating diseases like retinoblastoma. Retinoblastoma is a cancer that strikes newborns and young children. If caught early, it is completely curable.
Since three-and-a-half-year-old Joey Bergsma died from retinoblastoma, his grandmother, Pam Bergsma, has worked tirelessly to raise parents' awareness of this cancer.
"It is important that we raise awareness of this cancer," said Agwunobi, "because, in many cases, there can be a warning sign: a white dot in a child's eyes when photographed. If this sign is present and brought to the attention of a physician, it can often lead to the early diagnosis essential for a cure."
If parents notice a white dot in the center of their children's eyes or in photographs of their children's eyes, they should immediately call their primary physician for an examination.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and its Florida Chapter advise that babies' eyes should be examined at birth and as a part of routine well-child exams. For more information about the academy's recommendations, visit their web site at
www.aap.org
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Note: For further information related to Joey Bergsma, please contact Pam Bergsma at 561-586-2094,
lovejoey@bellsouth.net or
www.lovejoey.com
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