Megan Webber, Co-Founder of KnowTheGlow, and Helene Dameris, Director of Global Outreach, along with Ruth Ngaruiya, Program Manager for Africa, recently held an inspiring conversation with Dr. Gilbert Bonsaana and Dr. Ida Ansing from Tamale Teaching Hospital in Northern Ghana.
Dr. Bonsaana introduced Dr. Ansing as his colleague at the hospital’s Eye Clinic, where the two ophthalmologists work together to manage retinoblastoma and other childhood eye conditions. Without an ophthalmology residency program in Tamale, they collaborate closely with pediatricians, pediatric oncologists, and oncology nurses to provide coordinated care. This partnership allows the team to handle a wide spectrum of complex pediatric cases despite limited resources.
KnowTheGlow was already familiar with Dr. Bonsaana’s advocacy, particularly a video he produced highlighting the urgent challenges of RB care in the region from delayed diagnosis to treatment abandonment. Megan emphasized the importance of supporting this kind of outreach and shared that KTG provides free, Ghana-specific awareness materials to help address these barriers.
A light moment during the call revealed Dr. Bonsaana’s affection for Kenya, his “second hometown,” where he trained at the University of Nairobi. Though ophthalmology wasn’t his first choice, he shared how witnessing patients’ joy after sight-restoring surgeries shifted his path. With support from Dr. Seth Wanye and a Lions Bavaria grant, he pursued his ophthalmology training in Nairobi and has never looked back. He also reflected on how many top science students in Africa are steered into medicine or engineering without regard for passion, a trend he believes contributes to professional burnout.
Dr. Bonsaana first learned about KTG at the Mombasa conference and strongly affirmed the need for early awareness. In Ghana, he explained, midwives and community health nurses, often the first point of contact at postnatal and child welfare clinics, frequently dismiss signs of leukocoria as harmless, delaying diagnosis. Eye exams are often skipped during newborn assessments, and midwifery curricula lack training on pediatric eye cancers. He suggested that ophthalmic nurses could help train frontline workers to bridge this gap.
Dr. Ansing echoed this with a heartbreaking case: a mother noticed leukocoria in her infant, but local health workers repeatedly dismissed her concerns. By the time the child reached the clinic, she was severely ill, and the family eventually abandoned treatment due to cultural stigma and the need to return home highlighting the persistent challenge of follow-up.
Megan acknowledged these difficulties and suggested integrating KnowTheGlow materials into existing programs, like immunization visits, where awareness can have outsized impact. She also proposed that even recorded messages from passionate doctors like Dr. Bonsaana could be used in training midwives. Dr. Bonsaana agreed and shared how his students now appreciate the Arclight tool for both eye and ear exams, despite initial skepticism.
The conversation turned to the emotional toll on families. Dr. Bonsaana shared that financial strain is a major barrier to completing treatment. While organizations like World Child Cancer help with diagnostics, delays in funding can cause patients to drop out of care. He noted that retinoblastoma is now the most common childhood cancer in northern Ghana, with 17 new cases diagnosed in Tamale alone in 2024, all presenting at late stages. The region’s lack of MRI access means CT scans are often used instead, raising concerns about radiation exposure and long-term risks.
In a moving example, he described a baby whose early signs of RB were ignored. By the time she reached care, one eye had to be removed. The other was later found to be affected as well discovered using an Arclight and phone. Although a hospital in Barcelona sponsored her treatment, the disease had progressed too far, and her second eye was also removed. Though her life was saved, she is now blind. Dr. Bonsaana shared this case as a sobering reminder of the consequences of late detection.
His research also highlights cultural obstacles. In communities like Saboba, RB is often seen as a curse or the result of witchcraft, prompting families to seek traditional or spiritual remedies before turning to hospitals, often too late. Genetic testing is unavailable, and poorly fitting prosthetics frequently cause children to drop out of school due to bullying and shame.
To help address these issues, studies are underway on the economic burden of treatment and the knowledge gaps among frontline workers. Dr. Bonsaana expressed a desire to collaborate with KnowTheGlow to create a dedicated RB center at Tamale Teaching Hospital and proactively reach high-risk communities like Saboba.
Megan offered full support, proposing culturally tailored awareness materials in the Konkomba language and partnerships with local leaders and traditional healers. Dr. Bonsaana welcomed the idea and confirmed that such efforts are already underway through the local ophthalmic nurse.
Dr. Ansing added that while they currently focus on counseling families at the hospital, they are working toward future community screenings. Megan suggested creating a co-branded video in local languages for midwife training and emphasized the importance of showcasing local success stories to instill hope and build trust.
The conversation closed with deep mutual respect. Megan praised Dr. Bonsaana and Dr. Ansing for their extraordinary dedication and reaffirmed KnowTheGlow’s commitment to working alongside them to improve early detection and access to care for children in Ghana and beyond.
