| "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path - and leave a trail." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ |
| A number of years ago, the UK Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (formerly the Retinoblastoma Society), in conjunction with the Artificial Eye Service, created Dino, the Rb Dinosaur. Dino has been hugely successful in helping children to cope with the loss of an eye, and the cuddly creature has been purchased by hospitals, ocularists and families around the world. Sadly, production of Dino ceased in 2005 due to the tremendous expense of manufacturing. This page explains what Dino was all about, and asks whether the Rb dinosaur is really extinct. |
| ORPHANS OF THE CANCER STORM |
 |
 |
| Dino has magnetic eyes which can be removed from, and replaced into, the realistic sockets. He is an extremely useful aid in explaining the surgical process of enucliation (eye removal) to young children. facilitating the practice of removing and fitting a prosthesis in a child friendly way, and allowing children to explain the experience for themselves. He is also a highly cuddlable dinosaur! |
| There are two breeds of Dino. One with a left eye prosthesis, and one with a right eye prosthesis. The right eye Dino is pictured on this page. Colours on the left eye Dino are reversed. As situations require, a Dino with bilateral prostheses can be made. |
| My cat - Tosca - and her toys are not for sale! Each Dino cost more than £100 (approx US$175) to make, because of the magnetic eye and the lack of mass production. However, he was sold to families for just UK£25 (approx. US$45), CHECT and the AES meeting the difference. Sadly, this situation was not sustainable, and the decision was made to cease production in early 2005. If you have a Dino that is no longer being used, please consider donating it back to the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust, so that other children going through treatment may benefit from him. Any returned Dinos will be loaned or donated to individuals and treatment centres. Please contat the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust for more information about Dino, and the possibilities of preventing his complete extinction. UK Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (formerly the Retinoblastoma Society). info@chect.org.uk |
| 'Noah was so excited when Dino came in the mail!! When he saw the eye out he sqeeled "MOM! IT'S JUST LIKE ME!!!!!!" My eyes teared up, he kept saying "thank you thank you". It's the best gift we ever got for him, he's now not just a stuffed animal but part of our family. Like my sister said, this normalizes it for him, if there's a toy like him then it must be okay. He's also seeming to be more comfortable with the in and out process. I showed him how to put it in under the upper lid first..... so he knew what we would do for him. The excitement that afternoon was something I'll never forget!! It was so worth every penny. Abby, thank you so much for telling us about it.' Colleen, mum to Noah (unilateral Rb). |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |