A national campaign to highlight the dangers of eye cancer is being launched across the UK.

Doctors and parents will be among those targeted by charity The Retinoblastoma Society as part of its efforts to raise money and make better known the symptoms of a disease which strikes approximately one child a week in the UK.

IT is a shocking statistic but most children who develop eye cancer – retinoblastoma – end up losing one eye. And in some extreme cases a child will lose both eyes.

As with any cancer it is important that it is caught quickly if it is to be treated effectively and that is why The Retinoblastoma Society, the UK charity for childhood eye cancer, is behind a campaign to highlight this rare form of the illness to parents and doctors.

Sonia Home, the society's chief executive, told the Times: "It is often the parents who first spot signs of the tumour in their child's eye and they frequently go straight to their GP.

"Eye Cancer is rare in children, but it is vital the tumour is identified quickly. We hope this campaign will help to achieve that."

During the week-long campaign, National Awareness Week for Children with Eye Cancer, every GP in the country will be sent a poster highlighting the signs and symptoms of retinoblastoma. The literature will also describe the test to identify the illness which occurs in very young children and sometimes has a genetic cause that can be inherited.

The week also hopes to raise much needed money to fund the work of the society which supports families as well as providing vital information and funds to key research projects.

Alice Kidney, eight, from Ealing, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma when she was just over two years old. Her mother Karen noticed strange movements in her right eye.

Mrs Kidney took Alice to her optician who referred her to hospital to have her right eye removed after being diagnosed with retinoblastoma.

She said: "Alice was a classic case as there is no history of eye cancer in the family and as soon as she was diagnosed everything was done very quickly to remove the tumour. We were quite lucky because Alice did not need any chemotherapy or radiotherapy and you can't even tell that she has a prosthetic eye. Her left eye was not affected at all."

Mrs Kidney was shocked when she found out her baby had eye cancer. She had never heard of the condition before.

Mrs Kidney added: "It was an extreme shock as I thought she just had a squint but I found out lots more about the condition since Alice was diagnosed."

Alice and her family received a lot of care and support from The Retinoblastoma Society.

Mrs Kidney said: "The charity was excellent. It put us in touch with other families who were affected by retinoblastoma and we are grateful for all the support they gave to us."

Alice was given the all-clear and discharged last October.

For more information about The Retinoblastoma Society, or to make a donation, visit www.rbsociety.org.uk