KnowTheGlow is proud to welcome Dr. Sowmya Jayachandran, an American Board-certified Pediatrician based in Chennai, India, as a new volunteer dedicated to advancing our mission of preventing childhood blindness through early detection. With pediatric training from the University of Arkansas and research experience at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Dr. Sowmya brings both global expertise and local insight to the challenges faced in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Her journey with KnowTheGlow began while she was developing a retinoblastoma awareness card in collaboration with nonprofit organization Breast Cancer Hub (Childhood Cancer Wing)—an easy-to-understand visual tool designed to help families and community health workers recognize early signs of pediatric eye disease.
While researching for the development of the card, Dr. Sowmya discovered KnowTheGlow’s work and felt an immediate connection. “I was shocked to learn how many children in LMICs lose their vision—or lives—due to late diagnosis,” she shared. “In India, regular well-child visits aren’t the norm, and eye screenings are rarely done in primary care. That’s a huge gap we need to close.”
Upon returning to India from the U.S., she recognized several critical gaps in pediatric vision care including the absence of routine pediatric vision checks and the lack of essential tools like ophthalmoscopes in many clinics. Motivated by this experience, she’s been connecting with organizations like Iksha Foundation and CanKids to expand awareness efforts. She is currently developing multilingual video content to educate both caregivers and healthcare workers—especially those in rural areas—about warning signs like leukocoria (the “glow”) and the urgent need for early referrals.
“I’m planning to launch these videos in time for Retinoblastoma Awareness Week in May,” Dr. Sowmya said. “The goal is to reach people in their own languages, especially on platforms they already use like YouTube and WhatsApp.”
Her advocacy aligns perfectly with KnowTheGlow’s approach—meeting families and healthcare providers where they are, with messages that resonate. As Megan Webber, KTG’s co-founder, shared during their conversation, “If parents don’t know what to look for, they won’t bring their child in, no matter how skilled the oncologist or pediatrician is. That’s why your work is so vital.”
Dr. Sowmya is also advocating for vision screenings to be integrated into vaccination visits—a simple, scalable opportunity to catch warning signs during routine care. And she’s exploring ways to connect with medical students and future pediatricians to make vision awareness a standard part of their training.
Her passion and determination are contagious. Whether through visual aids, grassroots education, or partnerships with advocacy groups like Iksha Foundation, Dr. Sowmya is helping to bring the Glow into focus for families across India—and beyond.
