The co-founder of an Oxford-based eye cancer charity visited the city yesterday to promote efforts to help children suffering from the eye cancer retinoblastoma.

Prof Brenda Gallie, of the University of Toronto, in Canada, an expert on the rare childhood disease, and survivor Abby White set up Daisy's Eye Cancer Fund four years ago after hearing about the lack of treatment for the curable illness in developing countries.

Gorata (Rati) Poonyane, the African girl who inspired them to found the charity, died in August.

But Prof Gillie said that had only "catapulted them forward" in promoting the simple steps which could be taken to help affected children survive.

Gorata, from Botswana, visited Oxford for tests in 2004 before travelling to Canada for treatment.

Doctors battled for over a year to try to save her life.

Miss White, a former Oxford University student, said: "Before, we were just fundraising for her treatment, because she required very specialist care, but for every Rati we know about, there are 1,000 we don't know about.

"We're now fundraising to support projects so stories like Rati's don't happen. It's unacceptable that children are dying of this curable disease."

Nearly all UK children with retinoblastoma survive, but internationally only 10 per cent of patients do. The charity is appealing for more volunteers and donations to keep their projects going.

Prof Gallie said: "If Rati had had treatment at five months old she would be alive today.

"By doing simple treatment early, you could cut the mortality rate by half. The act of removing the eye gets rid of the cancer. Over time, the cancer leaves the eye and gets into the blood, which is what happened to Rati."

"It's enormous what we could do if doctors knew more about it."

Prof Gillie gave a talk yesterday at the Radcliffe Infirmary, in Woodstock Road, about this and about the importance of an international register for retinoblastoma.

Today, Prof Gallie and Miss White were due to meet officails of the Children's Cancer Research Group, which keeps a record of all diagnoses of cancer in children in the UK.

The group has tried to compile a worldwide register, but found it difficult, because some countries don't include cancers in their records.

The bodies want to combine their research to help find out how big the problem is.

Miss White said: "There are world register centres set up but we need more. At the moment there are 25 across the world, in five continents, but none in Africa."

Next week, she and Prof Gallie are flying to Kenya to launch a publicity campaign about reinoblastoma.

For more information call Miss White on 01865 243654.