Home / Health / Eye Test Reveals Child's Life-Threatening Brain Tumour
Eye Test Reveals Child's Life-Threatening Brain Tumour
24 Aug
Summary
- A four-year-old diagnosed with a brain tumour after an optician's visit.
- Phoebe's pilocytic astrocytoma was successfully removed in two surgeries.
- Mum advocates for increased children's eye tests and research funding.
A mother's world was shattered after her four-year-old daughter, Phoebe, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, a mere 12 hours after an eye examination. Symptoms like sickness and severe headaches, initially attributed to migraines, prompted an urgent visit to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. The diagnosis came swiftly, revealing a pilocytic astrocytoma, a common childhood brain tumour.
Phoebe underwent two surgeries, with surgeons successfully removing most of the tumour in a ten-hour procedure. This type of astrocytoma is the most prevalent in children in the UK, with approximately 175 cases diagnosed annually. Remarkably, within three weeks of leaving the hospital, Phoebe returned to school part-time.
Her progress is now closely monitored with regular MRI scans. Her mother, Katie, emphasizes the critical role of the optician's screening and now campaigns for greater public awareness regarding children's eye health and increased investment in scientific research for brain tumours.
