Baby girl is diagnosed with rare cancer after THIS photo revealed a vital warning sign
Tyraah Bell-Lama was just eight months old when she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma after doctors found a tumour behind her right eye
TYRAHH Bell-Lama was just eight months old when her mum Jade Bell, 27, took her to their local GP in Reading, concerned that there was a white glow behind her baby’s eye.
With the youngster’s vision also drifting, her doctor immediately referred her to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where she was given blood tests and scans before being transferred to the Royal London Hospital.
There, on Christmas Eve 2014, the tot was diagnosed with retinoblastoma – a rare form of eye cancer.
Jade explained: “She had a scan on her eye and they knew it was serious but they couldn’t tell me what it was exactly.
“I had to wait for a call from the Royal London Hospital.
"After the scan I had to go and get her big brother Jaiden, now seven, from school.
"I got there and just burst into tears because it was too much.”
After weeks of waiting, doctors confirmed to Jade and her partner Tyraah’s dad Rabindra, 29, that their little girl had retinoblastoma.
Though Jade had been preparing herself for the devastating news, she said it was still “a shock to hear the words out loud".
With Christmas the next day, their family day to celebrate Tyraah’s first festive season was very different to the one they had planned.
“There just wasn’t anything to celebrate," Jade said. "At that point we had no idea what the future held.”
When the presents were opened and the day was over, Jade decided to tell the rest of her friends and family the devastating news in the hope that she could spread some awareness of the condition.
She took to Facebook, posting a status about the condition.
“I wanted to make sure if someone else’s child had these symptoms, they could maybe catch it early,” she said.
Just a few weeks later on January 14, little Tyraah was given the first of six rounds of chemotherapy – and luckily it was a success.
Ill from side effects of the treatment, she was in and out of hospital for a few months.
Around 98 per cent of children will survive retinoblastoma in the UK but many live with the consequences of a delayed diagnosis – which can include loss of one or both eyes.
Patrick Tonks, Chief Executive of Childhood Eye Cancer Trust
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“It was really scary watching her, but the chemo worked and once she had finished the treatment, she was much better,” said Jade.
Now, Tyraah has check-ups every eight weeks to make sure her cancer does not return, but on the whole, she is doing really well.
Luckily, medics were able to save her eye and although her sight is reduced, they are working to strengthen it by covering her left eye when she is out and about.
After a happier 2016, the family have another reason to celebrate this Christmas as Jade gave birth to their third child, Mariaah, on Monday night.
Reflecting on her story, she said: “This Christmas feels so different.
"We’ll go round to my nan’s again and see as much of the family as we can.
Around one child a week is diagnosed with retinoblastoma in the UK and the two main symptoms are a squint and a white glow in a child’s eye, which can be seen in dim lighting or in a photo where a flash has been used.
What is Retinoblastoma?
According to NHS Direct, Retinoblastoma is a rare type of eye cancer that can affect youngchildren (usually under five years of age).
If it's picked up early, retinoblastoma can often be successfully treated (children treated for retinoblastoma diagnosed at an early stage have a survival rate of more than 95%). If it affects both eyes, it's usually diagnosed before a child is one year old. If it affects one eye, it tends to be diagnosed later (between the ages of two and three). Signs and symptoms include:
- An unusual white reflection in the pupil – this may be apparent in photos where only the healthy eye appears red from the flash, or you may notice it in a dark or artificially lit room
- A change in the colour of the iris – in one eye or sometimes only in one area of the eye
- Inflamation of the eye – though your child won't usually complain of any pain
- Squinting or poor vision – your child may not focus on faces or objects, or they may not be able to control their eye movements (this is more common when both eyes are affected); they may say that they can't see as well as they used to
These symptoms may be caused by something other than retinoblastoma. However, you should get them checked by your GP as soon as possible.
Patrick Tonks, chief executive of the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust, said: “Christmas is a popular time for taking photos and capturing memories, so it’s important that people are aware of the signs of eye cancer in children at this time of year.
“Retinoblastoma is rare and these symptoms are often a result of other, less serious, causes so there is no need for parents to panic.
"However, if you do notice anything unusual about your child’s eyes this Christmas, we would advise you to get them checked out as soon as possible just to be safe.
“Around 98 per cent of children will survive retinoblastoma in the UK but many live with the consequences of a delayed diagnosis – which can include loss of one or both eyes.”
For more information about the signs and symptoms, visit.
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