'Matthew's Fight For Sight' Focuses on Education as Key to Early Detection of Eye Cancer in Children Under Five

Launching in May to coincide with Healthy Vision Month and World Retinoblastoma week (May 14-18), all 120 Southern California Jiffy Lube service centers will participate in a year-long campaign to raise funds and awareness for retinoblastoma, a childhood cancer arising from immature retinal cells in one or both eyes. According to Retinoblastoma International, this cancer is curable if caught early enough but education to catch the warning signs is key.

Jiffy Lube's campaign, called Matthew's Fight For Sight, is named after a Jiffy Lube franchisee's son, Matthew Fanticola, who lost sight in one eye at 11 months old because his condition went undetected. The campaign is expected to reach more than two million people through in-store communications alone.

In partnership with Institute for Families and Retinoblastoma International, Jiffy Lube is implementing a PSA campaign featuring Peter Falk and other celebrities impacted by this disease, on all the close circuit televisions in participating Southern California Jiffy Lubes. In addition, educational materials will be available in-store that explain the steps parents need to take to ensure their children are adequately screened for this deadly but preventable disease.

"If Jiffy Lube can help even one parent catch this deadly disease early, we will have considered our campaign a success," said Marc Fanticola, Matthew's father and local Jiffy Lube franchisee owner. "Jiffy Lube is a family-oriented company concerned with safety. We know from personal experience that seeing a child suffer is a horrible experience and we want to do everything we can to prevent this from happening unnecessarily."

Retinoblastoma is a largely overlooked and deadly disease that impacts 200,000 children annually worldwide. A large percentage of these children lose sight and more than 7,000 die due to the delay in diagnosis or because of the lack of access to expert medical care. However, with early diagnosis, the disease is treatable and, in most cases, the eyesight can be saved as well as the life of the child.

Jiffy Lube is committed to not only educate the public but also to raise money through the sale of a special coupon book and collection boxes in all stores. All funds raised will go to benefit the Institute For Families, a non-profit organization which provides free services to families of visually impaired children.

While it is a California state law to screen for retinoblastoma in the hospital after birth, the implementation of that law is often not enforced, leaving the onus for evaluation on the parents. The combination of parental awareness and services made available to all parents due to funding from organizations like The Institute For Families, can virtually eliminate unnecessary blindness and death in infants in the Unites States and most other developed countries.

About Jiffy Lube

Jiffy Lube, with more than 2,200 service centers in North America, serves approximately 27.5 million customers each year. Jiffy Lube pioneered the fast oil change industry in 1979 by establishing the first drive-through service bay, providing customers with fast professional service for their vehicles. Headquartered in Houston, Jiffy Lube International is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Shell Oil Company. Visit http://www.jiffylube.com/ to learn more about Jiffy Lube and vehicle care.

About Institute for Families

Since 1987, the Institute for Families, a non-profit organization, has offered free counseling and support to families facing the devastating diagnosis of visual impairment in their child. The Institute for Families is there for every member of the family during the many difficult days, weeks, and months of treatment.

About Retinoblastoma International

Retinoblastoma International is non-profit organization founded in Los Angeles and chartered as a corporation under the laws of the State of California. It focuses on infant retinal cancer, retinoblastoma, and has chapters world-wide.

Source: Jiffy Lube International

Web site: http://www.jiffylube.com/