Young girl's rare cancer discovered after mom spotted 'secret' sign in photograph
A mother detected her young daughter's rare cancer by spotting a 'secret' sign after taking a photograph with the flash on.
Bronte Richards initially spotted a white glow in eight-month-old daughter Raye's eye, but put it down to lighting.
Raye was in the bath tub with her older brother Dawson when Bronte took a photo of them both, and when the the flash accidentally went off, it revealed the glow again in Raye's eye.
After a visit to the opticians, Raye was referred to the emergency eye clinic. There she was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital in the UK, following further eye tests.
Advert
The cancer in both eyes has lead to Raye undergoing six months of chemotherapy to shrink the tumors and she is now receiving laser therapy to keep the cancer under control.
Bronte, 32, said: "When the doctor told me that Raye had cancer, I was shocked.
"I had prepared myself for her to be fine after I was told she was OK. I immediately thought she was going to die, he said the tumour was so big that it covered her whole right eye.
"I was thinking that Raye would need to get her eye removed. I just didn't know why any of this was happening."
After an initial consultation with the GP, Bronte was told there was nothing to worry about - but as all her research took her to cancer, she decided to get a second opinion.
"I explained my concerns, and Raye was seen within an hour," Bronte explained of her visit to the local optician. "When the light was flashed into her right eye, she didn’t flinch, but when flashed in her left eye, she reacted."
That was prior to Christmas, and it was in the New Year of 2025 when the family received the devastating news.
"We were sent to the senior eye doctor at the Royal Gwent," Bronte said. "He did an in-depth examination and said, ‘I’m so sorry, Raye has retinoblastoma, her tumours look aggressive'.
"I remember just falling to the floor, holding my baby. I was shouting ‘No, No, No, you are wrong! We were told last week it was nothing'.
"Our whole world had been turned upside down."
Raye is now navigating everyday life 'with just one working eye' after six long months of chemotherapy.
Richard Ashton, Chief Executive of CHECT, said: “Raye’s story shows the importance of retinoblastoma awareness among health professionals.
"We are grateful that Raye’s diagnosis was confirmed and that she was able to receive treatment.
"If you’re worried that a child you know may have retinoblastoma, please take them to a GP or optician as soon as possible."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Callum Jones