Home / Health / Ukrainian Refugee Baby Fights Aggressive Eye Cancer
Ukrainian Refugee Baby Fights Aggressive Eye Cancer
4 Apr
Summary
- Ukrainian refugee baby diagnosed with aggressive bilateral retinoblastoma.
- Parents spotted crossed eyes and white reflection as key symptoms.
- Family home in Ukraine destroyed by drone attacks on diagnosis day.
A Ukrainian couple, Stepan and Alina Kozariichuk, who relocated to Penrith, Cumbria, from Kyiv in 2022, have suffered a devastating blow. After experiencing pregnancy losses, they welcomed their son, Bohdan, in May 2025.
Toward the end of 2025, the couple noticed their son's eyes crossing and a white reflection visible in photos. On February 13, 2026, Bohdan was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive eye cancer, putting his sight at risk. Tragically, on the same day, the couple learned that Alina's family home in Kyiv had been destroyed by drone attacks.
