My son was diagnosed with eye cancer after I spotted something odd in his pupil when he glanced at the TV
A mother noticed a “white glow” in her little boy’s pupil as he played with his toys and found out he had eye cancer – just weeks before Christmas.
Kirstin Smith, 29, a primary school teacher from Shetland, Scotland, noticed a “cloudy spot” in her two-year-old son Kian’s eye while he was playing in front of the TV.
She immediately went to see her neighbor, a GP, who advised Kirstin to go to an optician and get checked out.
Kirstin then took Kian to the eye clinic at the Royal Aberdeen Hospital in Scotland, where doctors discovered a mass on his eye.
The baby was then referred to the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and doctors suspected it was retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer that can affect young children.
Kirstin Smith, 29, a primary school teacher from Shetland, Scotland, noticed a “cloudy spot” (pictured right) in her two-year-old son Kian’s eye as he played in front of the TV.
The diagnosis was confirmed in December 2022 when Kiana was transferred to Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital as it was the closest hospital that could treat Kiana’s cancer.
Kian started chemotherapy three days before Christmas and has since made the 681-mile journey to Birmingham from Shetland 16 times for treatment.
Kirstin said: “Kian was sitting in the corner of the room playing with his toys, he looked at the TV and I noticed a white glow in his eyes. It was just a split second of murky gray and I did a double take and it was gone.
“His tumor was stage D—it was a large tumor—and if we hadn’t caught it in time, we might not have gotten the same result.” He is very resilient.
“He will be weakened by the damage the tumor has done to his eye, but we haven’t reached the end of our journey yet so things could change.” We’re not sure what the future looks like yet.”
Concerned about the white glow in Kian’s eyes, Kirstin wanted to get the opinion of her neighbor, a GP.
Kirstin said: “I knew I could see the cloud. I sent the photos to my neighbor and she said if it was bothering me I should go to an optometrist.
The mother immediately went to her neighbor, a GP, who advised Kirstin to go to an optician to get checked. Pictured is Kian
Kirstin then took Kian (pictured on the right, with his sister on the left) to the eye clinic at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Scotland, where doctors discovered a mass on his eye.
The baby (pictured in hospital) was then referred to the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and doctors suspected it was retinoblastoma – a rare type of eye cancer that can affect young children.
The diagnosis was confirmed in December 2022 when Kian (pictured with his parents) was transferred to Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital as it is the closest hospital where Kian’s cancer can be treated.
“We were then referred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where it was confirmed that Kian had a mass on his eye. They then referred us to the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital where they couldn’t confirm the diagnosis and sent us to Birmingham.”
Kian began his first course of chemotherapy on December 22, 2022, and will then undergo three more courses.
Kirstin said: “Because I thought it was something sinister at first, I was prepared for the news. That was my initial fear and when I took him to the optician I said I thought it was cancer.
“Part of me was hoping it would be something less serious. We were devastated by the diagnosis, but it wasn’t a shock.”
Kian (pictured) started chemotherapy three days before Christmas and has since made the 681-mile journey to Birmingham from Shetland 16 times for treatment.
Concerned about a white glow in Kian’s eye (pictured with his sister), Kirstin sought the opinion of her neighbor, a GP.
After months of chemotherapy, the tumor had shrunk and Kian (pictured with his grandmother) began cryotherapy – the local or general use of low temperatures in medical therapy – to shrink it further.
After several months of chemotherapy, the tumor shrank and Kian began cryotherapy – the local or general use of low temperatures in medical therapy – to shrink it further.
Kirstin said: “The chemotherapy did work for him and it did reduce the tumour, but it was a very difficult ordeal.”
“The good thing about this type of chemotherapy is that it is targeted. He didn’t feel bad – it was just a difficult day, and the next day everything would be as if it never happened. Life was relatively normal between chemotherapy sessions.”
Kian is still undergoing treatment for cancer, but Kirstin says things are going in the right direction.
Kirstin said: “He’s a normal two-year-old – you’d never know he’s struggling with this.” He is a little character, he just turned two years old. He is very talkative and is learning to speak.
“He’s a little unsure of new people, but we don’t know if that’s a side effect of all the hospital treatment. You think about his life experiences compared to his sister or his peers, and you feel like he’s really unlucky.
“When we’re away from home and we’re around other families with retinoblastoma, we’re so lucky compared to them and what they’re dealing with—we’re so grateful.”
The Children’s Eye Cancer Foundation (CHECT) urges parents and healthcare providers to be aware of the most common possible symptoms of eye cancer – a white glow in the eyes in flash photos or in certain lighting, and squinting.
A change in the appearance of the eye or a swollen eye may also be a sign, although often only one sign or symptom is present.
Richard Ashton, chief executive of CHECT, said: “Retinoblastoma is rare, with around one child or young child diagnosed every week in the UK.
“Symptoms can be quite subtle and children often appear healthy on their own, making diagnosis difficult. In just under half of all cases, the child’s eye has to be removed as part of treatment.”