A mother was able to identify her young daughter’s rare cancer by noticing an unusual sign in a photograph taken with flash.
Bronte Richards first observed a white glow in her eight-month-old daughter Raye’s eye, initially attributing it to the lighting.
While Raye was taking a bath with her older brother Dawson, Bronte snapped a photo, and when the flash went off, the glow reappeared in Raye’s eye.
Following a visit to an optician, Raye was quickly referred to an emergency eye clinic. It was there, at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital in the UK, that she was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma after further examinations.
The presence of cancer in both of her eyes led Raye to undergo six months of chemotherapy to reduce the tumors, and she is now receiving laser therapy to manage the condition.
Bronte, 32, expressed her disbelief, saying: “When the doctor told me that Raye had cancer, I was shocked.
“I had prepared myself for her to be fine after I was told she was OK. I immediately thought she was going to die, he said the tumour was so big that it covered her whole right eye.
“I was thinking that Raye would need to get her eye removed. I just didn’t know why any of this was happening.”
Initially, Bronte was reassured by a GP that there was no cause for alarm, but her own research pointed towards cancer, prompting her to seek another opinion.
“I explained my concerns, and Raye was seen within an hour,” Bronte shared about her optician visit. “When the light was flashed into her right eye, she didn’t flinch, but when flashed in her left eye, she reacted.”
This happened before Christmas, and it was in the New Year of 2025 when they received the heart-wrenching diagnosis.
“We were sent to the senior eye doctor at the Royal Gwent,” Bronte said. “He did an in-depth examination and said, ‘I’m so sorry, Raye has retinoblastoma, her tumours look aggressive’.
“I remember just falling to the floor, holding my baby. I was shouting ‘No, No, No, you are wrong! We were told last week it was nothing’.
“Our whole world had been turned upside down.”
Raye is now adjusting to life ‘with just one working eye’ after enduring six months of chemotherapy.
Richard Ashton, Chief Executive of CHECT, emphasized: “Raye’s story shows the importance of retinoblastoma awareness among health professionals.
“We are grateful that Raye’s diagnosis was confirmed and that she was able to receive treatment.
“If you’re worried that a child you know may have retinoblastoma, please take them to a GP or optician as soon as possible.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.