DAVAO CITY—Black Eyed Peas’ Allan Pineda Lindo otherwise known as Apl de Ap has donated Retcam, a brand new retinal diagnostic equipment to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
The pediatric retinal imaging system was formally turned over last Tuesday through Apl de Ap’s Apl Foundation. The Filipino pop star has personally attended the turn-over ceremony of the Retcam TM Shuttle diagnostic equipment at the SPMC in Davao City.
Apl de Ap said that he wants to help in addressing “blindness” among the Filipino children. He claims that growing up as visually impaired is extremely difficult.
“I cannot read what is written on the blackboard and had to play catch-up in school lessons relying on my classmates written notes,” Apl said, admitting that he is visually impaired.
The Retcam is a pediatric retinal imaging system used to screen premature babies for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), an affliction among premature born infants that can cause blindness if not addressed within 48 hours of birth/diagnosis.
Dr. Pearl Camesis Villalon, chair of the ROP Working Group of the Philippine College of Opthamology said that ROP is actually a common cause for visual impairment among the blind children in the country.(davaotoday.com)
