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A mum whose baby daughter lost her eyesight after a rare cancer was initially missed by doctors is urging fellow parents to be aware of the signs so they can save a child's life.
Rada Hristova, from Chatham, was baffled as to why her baby Katherina would not stop crying when she was just three months old.
Rada Hristova says she noticed her daughter Katherina seemed to be in constant pain, but GPs assured her she was healthy.
Despite visiting her GP, who initially said the baby's behaviour was likely due to wind or being a sensitive baby, Rada's motherly instincts took over.
She said even though doctors told her there was nothing wrong for the next three months, Katherina's auntie spotted a white dot in her eye.
“I felt like the worst mum in the world because I couldn’t settle my baby and no one could tell me why," Rada said.
“She rushed into the room and was crying and shaking. She said she’d seen a ‘white dot’ in Katherina’s eye and had heard previously that this could be a sign of something serious. We both Googled it and the scary diagnosis of eye cancer came up.
“Although neither of us could see the white dot again, I then noticed that Katherina’s eye looked dull in comparison to the other one which was bright and shiny.”
It came just days after Katherina's latest check up with the doctor and Rada and her partner Lyudmil rushed to A&E with their baby.
Hospital doctors checked over Katherina's eyes and referred her to the Maidstone Hospital Eye Clinic.
Specialists at the clinic gave the family devastating news the dot in Katherina's eye was a large tumour and she was already blind in her left.
She was diagnosed with retinoblastoma – which typically affects babies and young children – and the eye was removed during an operation to prevent the cancer spreading by doctors at the Royal London Hospital.
Rada added: "Even though it made sense, I still couldn’t believe that my daughter had cancer. When you picture a child with cancer, the child looks ill. However, aside from all the crying, Katherina otherwise looked like a healthy child.
"The staff at the Royal London Hospital were absolutely amazing and they talked though everything with us, reassuring us that everything was going to be fine.
“I was scared to see her after the operation – I was still in shock about what she would look like.
"But the moment they took off the bandages and revealed the temporary artificial eye they had in place of her eye, my mum reassured me that my little girl was still ‘perfect’.
“I kissed Katherina on the forehead and told her that ‘when she wakes up, she will be more perfect’.”
When she woke after the operation, Katherina's crying and pain had stopped and Rada says she was smiling and would finally sleep.
“It was like something had changed my little girl," Rada said. "She suddenly stopped crying, started smiling and would sleep like a normal child. You could see that she was finally happy.”
But in another blow to the family smaller tumours were found in Katherina's other eye and were treated with cryotherapy by freezing the tumours.
Now Katherina, who will be two in the summer, is an energetic toddler and has been fitted with a proper artificial eye to match her right eye and is attending regular check-ups.
Rada added: “I’m forever grateful to my sister-in-law for spotting Katherina’s tumour. Dessie – thank you for saving my daughter’s life. Had the cancer been left any longer, it may have been a different story.”
The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CECT) is urging parents to be aware of the most common symptoms of eye cancer in babies and tots.
A white glow in the eye which is sometimes only visible in certain lights and a squint can be signs. Parents are advised to seek advice from a healthcare professional.
Almost a quarter of children (24%) with retinoblastoma took more than six months to be diagnosed in 2020, CECT say with on average one child a week being diagnosed with the condition.
To mark World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week which starts tomorrow, CECT hope more parents are aware of the signs.
Chief executive Patrick Tonks said: “Retinoblastoma is rare, with around one child being diagnosed in the UK each week. Symptoms can be quite subtle, and children can often seem physically well which can make it very hard to diagnose.
"However, if you do notice any of the signs in your child’s eyes, they must be examined urgently in person by your GP or another healthcare professional.
“We know GP services have been under huge pressure this year, but we urge parents to trust their intuition and seek additional help from another healthcare professional if they are not satisfied.
“Avoiding delay with a retinoblastoma diagnosis can help save their child’s sight, eyes and even life.”
For more information on the signs, symptoms and treatment of retinoblastoma visit www.chect.org.uk
