Girl, six, diagnosed with rare cancer after parents thought she was squinting because of regular iPad use
The family is now fundraising for proton beam therapy in America
PARENTS of a six-year-old girl thought their daughter was squinting because she spent too much time on her iPad – but tragically she was diagnosed with an ultra-rare cancer.
Lee Gascoigne and Philippa Batten took little Eve to the opticians after noticing that her eyes had started to cross over.
The doting parents thought their daughter had damaged her eyesight from spending too much time looking at her iPad screen, but instead she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour.
Yorkshire mum Philippa, 35, said: "Eve's eyes started to cross over so we took her to the opticians but he quickly referred us to hospital.
"We discovered there was swelling to her optic nerves which was caused by a brain tumour.
"We thought she had watched too much television or had been on the iPad too long. It was a massive shock to us all."
Doctors found it difficult to make the myoepithelial carcinoma diagnosis, as cases are so uncommon.
The condition typically affects the salivary gland, but rarely also affects other organs.
For myoepithelial carcinoma to cause a brain tumour in a child is so unusual that it has only affected another seven children worldwide.
After getting the tumour removed, Eve suffered another crushing blow when doctors informed the family that it was cancerous.
Devastated mum Philippa, said: "It was horrendous, absolutely horrendous - we never expected she had a brain tumour and just thought she would be getting glasses to correct her squint."
The tumour was even sent to Great Ormond Street and Germany for tests.
Philippa revealed: "It was the longest wait of our lives - after seven weeks we finally got the diagnosis that Eve had myoepithelial carcinoma and she has just started a course of chemotherapy spread over 12 weeks."
Even though Eve is battling the distressing condition, she has bravely returned to school just months after the major operation.
Proud Philippa said: "Eve is just an amazing person - she has not questioned anything and has just got on with it.
"Her hair has now fallen out but she still always has a smile on her face - she just takes it all in her stride.
"Eve has a scar on her head from ear to ear which makes being bald even worse. But she is still a cheeky little monkey."
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The family hope that they’ll be able to fundraise enough for Eve to receive proton beam therapy in America.
Even though the process is similar to radiotherapy, it is more targeted which would avoid damaging the brain.
Phillipa said: "Both treatments zap the cells but proton beam therapy is so much more precise - we fear radiotherapy could danger Eve's brain, causing learning difficulties and eye problems."
As well as fundraising themselves, they have applied for NHS funding in the region of £150,000 to fund treatment, flights, accommodation, car hire and living costs.
So far, the family has raised £8,000 of their target, and are urging the public to