A mum has revealed that she thought her little girl had ice in her eye after a snowball fight, but it turned out to be a rare cancer which claimed her daughter's eye.
Gina Hickson, 29, thought an unusual white glow in her daughter Darcey-Rose's left pupil was down to her getting ice in it. But when the cloudiness didn't go, she assumed she might need glasses and took her to the GP to be checked over in February 2021.
Darcey-Rose, then two, was referred to a specialist for tests. Then Gina and her husband, Michael, 34, were given the heartbreaking news that their little girl had retinoblastoma - a rare eye cancer that typically affects children under the age of six.
The couple are speaking out about their experience to urge other parents to be vigilant for signs of the disease in their children. Their daughter began the first out of six rounds of chemotherapy on in March 2021 at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. But doctors found more cancer so she had to have her left eye removed.
Darcey-Rose, now three, was fitted with a prosthetic and understands she has a "special eye because of her poorly one". And last month she was given the all-clear from cancer, to the delight of the family.
Gina, from Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, explained how their ordeal began: "We just saw a mass, like a cloud, in Darcey-Rose's eye. It would change shape depending on where her eye was directed. Initially, we thought it was ice in her eye from a snowball fight.
"I Googled it and it took me to the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust’s website - which I instantly dismissed. I was still concerned so I got Darcey-Rose to pose for a picture and sent it to the GP straight away.
“After a visit to the doctor, we were referred to ophthalmology. There wasn't a sense of urgency or worry. I was genuinely concerned she would need glasses, which is so, so silly. I definitely had my head in the sand.”
Gina said when Darcey-Rose had a vision screening test, it quickly became clear that she was blind in her left eye. She added: “When she then had a scan, in the room there were posters on the wall with visuals on what to look out for, and how different eye conditions are seen on the screen - I found the cancer image and just held my breath.
"The right eye on the scan was clear and the left eye had a huge black mass. I looked at Michael and told him to prepare himself - saying I thought Darcey-Rose had got cancer."
Doctors then told the couple they thought their little girl had a rare eye cancer but only specialists could confirm the diagnosis. On February 19, 2021, Darcey-Rose, attended Moorfield’s Eye Hospital, where retinoblastoma was confirmed.
Typical signs of retinoblastoma include a white glow which may only appear in certain lights or a squint - as well as a change in the appearance of the eye or a swollen eye, although often only one sign or symptom is present.
The tot began the first out of six rounds of chemotherapy on March 1, then had laser and cryotherapy treatments. In January this year, it was decided she needed to restart chemotherapy.
And worse was to come. Gina recalled: "On June 15, we were told Darcey-Rose could either have chemotherapy injections in her eye or have her eye removed, as they had found more cancer in her eye.
"We did consider both options and as the direct injections would be done under anaesthetic, she wouldn't know any different to her normal treatment. We booked in the chemotherapy for June 29. Her vision was better and worth fighting to save.
"Darcey-Rose was incredible, she went down happy and we went off to the cafe for a coffee, expecting it to go well. But after 20 minutes my phone rang, and we were told to come back. When I say we ran, we sprinted.
“Her tumour had spread around the retina, the chemotherapy wasn't the ideal choice any more. When they said they were going to have to remove her eye, and the choice was taken, I felt pure fear.
“But the operation went really well. The clinician fitted a prosthetic eye. Darcey-Rose did really well and understood why she needed a special eye because of her poorly one.
“She is just the funniest sasspot I've ever met. She makes me laugh every day. She's so clever, and inquisitive. She made every trip easier with her sheer zest for life. She loves sports and also horse riding, despite only having vision in one eye”.
On August 5, Gina and Michael received the news that Darcey-Rose is cancer free. Gina said: "She has absolutely rocked it, she is amazing, we were saying the other day how we are in awe of her - you never want to see your child go through what she has been through."
She added that it was a 'weird moment' being told that Darcey-Rose has the all-clear. "It's been every two weeks for 18 months that we have been living in hospitals. It is a really weird feeling to digest, it is a moment of you getting your baby back."
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