Mom issues warning after spotting son’s cancer symptom while he watched TV
A mother has revealed how a strange symptom in her child led to a life-changing diagnosis that resulted in him losing his eye.
Maria Simeonidis, from Bournemouth in the UK, first noticed a peculiar white glow in the eye of her son Isaac, four, while he was watching the cartoon Paw Patrol with his older brother, Simeon. The pair were celebrating Isaac's third birthday on June 8, 2024.
Concerned by the strangeness of the symptom, Maria quickly booked an appointment at the opticians.
The eye doctor shared that they could see something concerning in the back of his eye, quickly transferring him to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
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After analysis, the doctor told Maria that Isaac had a suspected retinoblastoma, which required treatment at the UK's leading eye clinic, the Royal London Hospital.
'I just knew something was wrong'
According to MDAnderson, retinoblastoma occurs in approximately 1 in 14,000 to 34,000 live births, with about 300–350 new cases diagnosed annually in the US.
While the cancer is rare, it often has a high survival rate if caught early.
Maria, who is a kindergarten teacher, shared her devastation at learning her son had cancer.
"When doctors told me that Isaac had a retinoblastoma, I started crying. 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, 'Mommy, I can't see you, but why are you crying?'"
Maria added that the situation was 'awful', and couldn't shake the thought that her son was about to die.
What are the symptoms of retinoblastoma?
Retinoblastoma often presents with a white glow in the pupil (leukocoria), a squint (strabismus), or a change in iris color. Other symptoms include red/swollen eyes without infection, poor vision, or an eye pointing in a different direction. Early diagnosis is crucial and the symptoms are often first noticed in photos.
Maria initially thought the white glow in Isaac's eye was reflected light.
She mentioned it to her partner, Matthew Comley, who instantly knew what she was referring to.
'No matter what it is, it definitely isn't anything good'
Maria said: "Matthew said to me, 'Oh yeah, do you mean his right eye?' I immediately thought, sh*t, how does he know what eye I mean?"
He added that he had noticed it before.
"I thought no matter what it is, it definitely isn't anything good," she added.
The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) has urged parents and healthcare professionals to be aware of the most common possible symptoms of eye cancer - a white glow in the eye, which may appear in a flash photo or in certain lighting, and a squint.
Richard Ashton, Chief Executive of CHECT, advised parents who suspect their children may have retinoblastoma, to take them to the doctors as soon as possible.
Isaac underwent systemic chemotherapy in June 2024, being given the all clear following his treatment.
Unfortunately in Isaac's first check up after Christmas that year, they discovered retinoblastoma seeds, which are pieces of the tumor that have broken off.
He then had to return to hospital for cryotherapy, where the small tumors would be frozen.
This wasn't the end of Isaac's cancer journey either, as after several rounds of this treatment, they discovered a small relapse of Isaac's tumor.
Maria said: "We felt so deflated but decided to give it another try. So, we got booked in for plaque treatment - a tiny piece of radioactive material which is attached to the outside lining of the eye to kill targeted cancerous cells inside.
"It was done at the Royal London Hospital, and we had to isolate for most of our stay. Isaac really struggled with the plaque treatment; he was in pain and very uncomfortable.
"He refused to open either of his eyes for two whole days, but we were hopeful the plaque would finish the tumor off for good."
Devastatingly, there was a relapse after the plaque treatment, just when things seemed to be going Isaac's way.
After some tough conversations the pair decided that the best option going forward was to have Isaac's eye removed.
'It was a hard pill to swallow'
Maria said: "We decided that Isaac had endured enough and that we were not willing to take any more risks. We opted for an enucleation - removal of the eye.
"It was a hard pill to swallow after over a year of trying to save his eye, which had very good vision, but we just wanted him to have some peace."
Isaac was fitted with a prosthetic eye. She said he understands what has happened to him, and will say he misses his old eye and wants it back.
Despite all of this, Isaac is now a 'very happy confident boy', according to his mom, who loves dinosaurs and monster trucks.
She added: "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."
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.
Thomas Bamford