Two young Childhood Eye Cancer Trust ambassadors were special guests to officially open a new Vision Express store in Taunton on Saturday.
Nine-year-old Corbin Pike and 21-year-old Poppy Quinton, who both had retinoblastoma (Rb) when they were little, were guests of honour at the opening celebrations.
Corbin was diagnosed when he was three years old. While he found the hospital appointments scary at first, he has developed an amazing attitude and always stays positive, regardless of how hard life can be sometimes. This was recognised last year when he was given a CHECT Champion award for bravery.
In 1995, at the age of just five months old, Poppy was diagnosed with Rb and needed lifesaving surgery. Following her experience, Poppy has been an avid supporter of CHECT, regularly attending local events as an ambassador.
The Vision Express Taunton store opened in its new home in Fore Street following its recent relocation. Store director Angela Vann said: “It was a privilege to have our store officially opened by Corbin and Poppy. Their experiences highlight the importance of keeping up with health checks regardless of age. If you think your child might have an eye condition, take them to see a trained optometrist straight away.”
Vision Express was the first optician in the UK to roll out a protocol to ensure a quick and effective referral if retinoblastoma is suspected. We formed a partnership in 2010, and since then employees and customers have raised around £300,000 for us. Find out more about our relationship with Vision Express.