A 4-month-old girl from Nepal diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer that causes loss of vision due to abnormal growth in retina, can now see the world, thanks to treatment at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi.

The girl is fully cured now, but still visits the Delhi facility on a regular basis for check-ups, the hospital said in a statement on June 11. The girl was diagnosed with the disease when she was barely a month old and was referred to the city after doctors from her hometown Pokhhara realised the severity. Her mother too lost her vision due to this eye cancer and her father was visually impaired since birth.

"Retinoblastoma is a type of eye cancer which affects the retina of the eye. It is the most sensitive lining of the eye having photosensitive cells and receives the light and sends the signal to the brain via optic nerve, where they are interpreted as images," said Amita Mahajan from Apollo Hospitals.

"In rare cases, pediatric retinoblastoma can be fatal, though the success rate of treatment is 90 per cent," she added. The four-month-old was admitted for chemotherapy at the Delhi hospital under the care of Mahajan. The disease affects children more and rarely occurs among adults, Mahajan said.

"The total income of the family was Rs 5,000 per month. It was a brave decision on their part to seek treatment for their daughter despite so many hurdles in their way," Mahajan said. "We registered the girl's family with a non-profit organisation and after the discussion with an advisory body, we started providing to-and-fro travel conveyance to the family," Mahajan said.