Little boy Ali Hassan (7 years old, living in a remote village in Pakpattan district, Punjab province, Pakistan) is gradually losing his sight because of a giant tumor in his right eye.

Ali’s tumor spread at a very rapid rate, seriously affecting the boy’s nose and mouth, making him unable to talk.

Mr. Muhammad Mansha, Ali’s father, is currently trying to find treatment for his child in the city of Lahore, about 207 km from the family’s residence.

Little boy Ali Hassan (7 years old, living in a remote village in Pakpattan district, Punjab province, Pakistan) is gradually losing his sight because of a giant tumor in his right eye.

Ali’s tumor spread at a very rapid rate, seriously affecting the boy’s nose and mouth, making him unable to talk.

Mr. Muhammad Mansha, Ali’s father, is currently trying to find treatment for his child in the city of Lahore, about 207 km from the family’s residence.

It is still unclear what type of Ali’s tumor is, but it resembles a case of retinoblastoma.

Retinoblastoma is a common type of eye cancer in children under 5 years old, with an incidence rate of 1/20,0000.

Retinoblastoma appears in the retina – the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. It can affect one or both eyes.

40% of retinoblastoma cases arise from a faulty gene, which can be inherited from parents or develop randomly.

Small tumors can often be treated with laser or cryotherapy. Larger tumors require chemotherapy or surgery.

The most common symptom of retinoblastoma is that the patient’s pupils look like cat eyes, which is easy to spot in photographs.

Worldwide, the mortality rate from retinoblastoma is about 70%, especially in developing countries like Pakistan.