Her life changed in an instant.
A British mother of four says she was able to detect a rare cancer in her young son using the flash on her mobile phone camera.
Sarah Hedges, 40, was cooking a shepherd’s pie dinner in November 2022 when she looked at her three-month-old son, Thomas, and noticed a “white glow” in his eyes.
Mr Hedges said it reflected light “like a cat’s eye”. So she used her phone to take a photo with the flash on to see if she could find it again.
“When I couldn’t see it again, I thought it was just the lighting,” said Ms Hedges, a support worker from Gillingham, Kent. told SWNS.
“It was playing in my head, so the next day I moved Thomas to another room near the lights and finally saw the scene again,” she added.
Hedges turned to Google. Her results suggested Thomas might have cancer, so she showed her photos to her doctor.
Mr Hedges said the doctor didn’t seem concerned, but referred Thomas to Medway Hospital anyway.
Thomas was indeed diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive eye cancer that affects infants and young children.
“The doctor called us back to the room to discuss the results. I was in the bathroom,” Hedges said. “When I came out, he was waiting for me. I knew then that this wasn’t good news. No doctor waits for someone outside the bathroom, right?”
She continued: “Before he said anything, I said, ‘Do you have cancer?'” And he said, ‘I’m sorry, but that’s not good news.’ ”
Thomas was referred to the Royal London Hospital and underwent six rounds of chemotherapy starting in November 2022.
After battling sepsis, he completed his last round of chemotherapy on April 6, 2023, and rang the bell on May 10, 2023.
Hedges said Thomas is recovering well. She describes him as a “cheeky boy” who loves “rolling rough” with his older brother. Hedges has three other children, Beth (21), Dylan (16), and Lucas (8).
According to the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT), signs of retinoblastoma include changes in the appearance of the eye, swelling of the eye, and a white glow that only appears in certain lights or when squinting.
Often, only one sign or symptom is present.
“Diagnosis can be difficult because symptoms can be very subtle and children often appear well on their own. In just under half of all cases, children have to have their eyes removed as part of treatment. “No,” CHECT chief executive Richard Ashton explained.
He added: “In Thomas’ case, we are grateful that his symptoms were recognized and he was able to receive treatment.”
Mr Hedge recalled thinking Thomas was going to die.
“When you hear the word ‘cancer,’ you automatically think of the worst. This can be life-threatening,” she sighs. “I just wanted someone to tell me that it was just a bad dream and that I would wake up soon.”
