Mom tells how she discovered her toddler’s cancer symptom while she was eating
A mother has revealed how she noticed her daughter’s cancer symptom while she was eating.
Danielle Prior, from Surrey, was feeding 18-month-old Evie a meal earlier this year when she noticed a common ‘white ring’ and ‘cloudiness’ in her eye.
The 30-year-old called her GP and within an hour had an appointment for the then 11-month-old baby, who was referred for further tests and checks.
The results showed she had retinoblastoma β a rare form of eye cancer β which only 44 children in Britain and 300 in the US are diagnosed with every year.
The toddler underwent months of treatment and is now in remission, although her mother says it is a “ticking time bomb” to see if the cancer returns.
Evie Prior was just eleven months old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that took up three-quarters of her eye
In January they received the devastating diagnosis that Evie had retinoblastoma, which affects the retina at the back of the eye
During her GP appointment earlier this year, Evie underwent a red reflectance test β which checks for a white, yellow or black reflection in the eye, which can be a signal of a serious eye condition β to check whether her eye was healthy.
The toddler was then referred to an ophthalmologist.
Evie then underwent keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic, which confirmed a grade D retinoblastoma β meaning it was in advanced stages β taking up three-quarters of her eye.
The cancer, which is usually caused by a mutation that develops in a single gene as the eye develops, usually affects children under the age of five.
A white glow or reflection in the center of the pupil is the most common symptom. Other symptoms may include cross-eyed eyes, a change in the color of the iris, and swelling around the eye.
About 44 percent of those diagnosed are in the first year of life and about 63 percent are diagnosed in only one eye.
Mrs Prior said: ‘(When I got the news) it broke me, I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I just wanted to shut everything out.
‘I wasn’t really eating or sleeping and I was suffering from anxiety.
‘Before Evie was diagnosed, we kept thinking ‘maybe we’re wrong’, that it could be benign or just a cataract.
Mum, Danielle Prior, 30, from Surrey, said the devastating diagnosis left her ‘devastated’ and ‘suffered by anxiety’
Evie underwent six grueling rounds of intra-arterial chemotherapy in hopes of removing the cancer
βWhen I got new news, I went into a deep black hole until I found out about treatments.β
Evie underwent six grueling rounds of intra-arterial chemotherapy β a concentrated dose of chemotherapy administered directly into the affected eye β in the hope of curing the cancer.
Although doctors thought the treatment had initially worked, her cancer was still present.
Her parents opted to continue with the treatment hoping it would work rather than have the toddler undergo surgery to remove her eye β another treatment option.
Evie is now in remission but is monitored every six weeks at the Royal London Hospital.
Ms Prior said: ‘We’re at an uncertain stage now and we see it as a ticking time bomb, but it’s just so difficult if you don’t want to make the wrong decision.
‘This treatment has a good success rate in other countries and it sometimes restores vision, so we are just trying to help her.
Evie’s mother first noticed the ‘white ring’ when she gave the toddler her tea
Evie, who loves the cartoon series Pepper Pig for preschoolers, is now 18 months old and is now in remission but has regular checks every six weeks at the Royal London Hospital.
‘We know what it’s like to grow up (with a visible difference) β people can be terrible, especially when you lose a body part that is so visually obvious.’
She added: βWe will have to keep her examined until she is an adult; the doctors told me at some point that it wouldn’t be a problem anymore. Basically, if the eyes stop growing, they should remain stable.
“But for now, she still has the tumor in her eye because they can’t safely perform an operation where they can actually remove the tumor without the risk of it spreading to the brain.”
Ms Prior said Evie suffers from anxiety as a result of her frequent medical visits.
She said: ‘She is scared and nervous, this (going to appointments and having the treatment) has really affected her.
‘She just doesn’t like strangers and is even a bit insecure around other children, it’s terrible to see.
‘We just hope she gets her confidence back.
‘They are a very good team at Royal London; I can’t fault them, they are beautiful, but they are a work in progress.
She also praised the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust for its ‘fantastic’ help.
She added, βThat’s the only place I can find comfort because they can relate to what you’re going through. No one else really understands it.
‘There are also family support Facebook groups that I have joined, it can be reassuring to see other stories that seem positive and help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
βWe try to take each day as it comes and stay positive.β