Toddler had eye removed after mum noticed 'glow' whilst he was watching TV
A mum feared her four-year-old son was 'going to die' after a 'white glow' she spotted in his eye turned out to be a rare form of cancer.
Maria Simeonidis has recalled how an 'awful' ordeal saw her young son, Isaac, diagnosed with retinoblastoma and go through multiple medical procedures to try and save his life.
Isaac was celebrating his third birthday in June 2024 by watching the popular children's TV cartoon Paw Patrol with his older brother, Simeon, when Maria noticed a glow in his right eye.
The worry turned to fear when her partner, Matthew Comley, said he had noticed the glow previously.
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"Matthew said to me, 'Oh yeah, do you mean his right eye?' I immediately thought, s**t, how does he know what eye I mean?" Maria said.
"I thought no matter what it is, it definitely isn't anything good."
After leaping into action, a local optician revealed they could see something at the back of Isaac's right eye, and he was transferred to Royal Bournemouth Hospital, which then referred him to the retinoblastoma centre at Royal London Hospital.
Maria said: "After he did his examination, it all went quiet. He called his assistant in, and then I knew. The quietness of it all was very unnerving.
"He told me that he can't diagnose Isaac with a retinoblastoma, but if I was to ask him, he was sure it was one.
"That afternoon was horrible for us; we just didn’t know what was going to happen. Would Isaac be okay, or would he die? It was just a horrible day.”
It was at the Royal London Hospital where the devastating cancer diagnosis was finally confirmed.
"When doctors told me that Isaac had a retinoblastoma, I started crying," Maria recalled. "As a worst-case scenario, I thought it might be a retinoblastoma, but people were telling me it was so rare and it could be a cataract.
"I just knew something was wrong, and as a parent, you have to trust your gut.
"I remember Isaac had his pupils dilated; he turned to me and said, 'Mummy, I can't see you, but why are you crying?'
"I thought he was going to die; I know it sounds dramatic, but that is how I felt - it was awful."
Isaac was put on a treatment plan of systemic chemotherapy and though he was given the all-clear, his first check-up revealed some pieces of the tumour had remained.
More procedures followed for the toddler - a plaque treatment that left him 'in pain and very uncomfortable' - yet, three months later, Isaac relapsed again.
That left little option but for Maria to decide to remove Isaac's right eye, a decision that was a 'hard pill to swallow' after such a lengthy battle to save it, but she wanted her son to 'have some peace'.
Isaac was fitted with a prosthetic and, thankfully, is now five years old and a 'very happy, confident boy'.
Maria added: "Isaac loves everything about dinosaurs and monster trucks; he is very caring and has made some good friends.
"Sometimes he is a bit wary in new locations and realises that he does not have a full field of vision. But all in all, he manages amazingly. He is aware and understands what happened to him."
How to spot cancer in the eye
The NHS defines retinoblastoma as a 'rare type of eye cancer that can affect young children. It mostly affects children under 3 years of age' but how can you spot it in a youngster, as Maria did?
A white glow in the eye is the most common symptom of eye cancer, and it can appear in a flash photo, certain lighting and a squint.
Richard Ashton, Chief Executive of The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust, said: “Isaac’s story shows the importance of retinoblastoma awareness among health professionals.
"We are grateful that Isaac’s diagnosis was confirmed and that he was able to receive treatment. "If you’re worried that your child may have retinoblastoma, please take them to a GP or optician as soon as possible."
Topics: Cancer
Daniel Murphy