Whitathon Hyderabad 2026 8th Edition - 8 Edition

The Eighth Edition of the WHITATHON RUN will be organized on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli. The run will start at 5:30 a.m.

Whitathon Run is L V Prasad Eye Institute's annual cause-related event to raise awareness and funds for early diagnosis and treatment of Retinoblastoma, a life-threatening eye cancer in children. It is supported by Hyderabad Runners. Whitathon has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception in 2018, thanks to the enthusiastic running community of Hyderabad and our ever-expanding stream of supporters.

The aim of the run is to raise awareness among the public about the White Reflex in a child's eye being an early sign of eye cancer that needs immediate medical intervention.

Treatment of Retinoblastoma is costly and prolonged. The funds raised through the run are used to provide free treatment for children from underprivileged families and to fund research into novel treatment options.

Over the past decade, LVPEI has treated more than 2500 patients with retinoblastoma eye cancer.

Why is awareness needed?

Among the cases of retinoblastoma treated at LVPEI, the child's life was saved in 90% of the cases, but eyesight could be saved in only 45% of the cases, because of late presentation.

 Retinoblastoma (eye cancer) most commonly affects children below 3 years (90%).

 20 to 25% of cases of eye cancer worldwide in children are from India. 50% of cases worldwide lose their lives due to late detection and inadequate treatment.

 Retinoblastoma is curable if the tumour is detected and treated early; saving the child's life, eye, and vision.

 Why are funds needed?

 Retinoblastoma treatment plans are expensive and long.

 Over 60 to 65% of these patients cannot afford the cost of treatment.

Participate with your family and friends and spread the word about White Reflex in a child's eye being an early sign of eye cancer.

We look forward to seeing you at Whitathon 2026 and being its ambassador !

About LVPEI: Established in 1987, with the vision, ‘to create excellent and equitable eye care systems that reach all those in need,’ the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), a comprehensive eye health facility, is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness.

In pursuance of this vision, LVPEI clinician scientists work at the cutting edge of eye research. Through its five-tier ‘Eye Health Pyramid’ and cross-subsidy models, LVPEI provides more than 50% of its services entirely at no cost to the patient, irrespective of the complexity of care needed. LVPEI is among the world’s top eye researchers with over 5,000 published scientific papers in prominent international journals.

 For further information, please visit the Institute’s website, www.lvpei.org.