A YORK teenager who survived eye cancer is backing a campaign to ensure children have regular eye tests.

Tabitha Whitaker, 13, from Askham Bryan, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer, aged just three-years-old, after her mum, Claire, noticed a white flash in her eye and knew immediately something was wrong.

Within a week, Tabitha had undergone life-saving surgery to remove her affected eye.

“I think she was diagnosed at quite a high age compared to other children,” said Claire. “There was no family history and no previous problems, but one day I noticed this white flash and I had a bad feeling straight away - my first thought was that it was a tumour and she was going to go blind.

“I mentioned it to my husband – we were on holiday at the time – but he hadn’t noticed anything. Then I asked our parents and a few other people. We even had her pinned down on the floor looking at her eyes, but nobody could see anything.

“Then, a friend of mine who had a little boy the same age as Tabitha, said she’d seen something unusual when they were playing together. I burst into tears – I knew I wasn’t being stupid then. I went home and typed in ‘children’s eye tumour’ into the computer and a picture came up with this white light in an eye and I realised immediately what it was – retinoblastoma.”

The following day Tabitha was taken to the opticians where she was referred to the emergency eye department at the hospital and on to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. A consultant there confirmed it was retinoblastoma and found she was completely blind in the right eye.

Claire added: “Obviously, it was very stressful but we were told it was treatable. Within a week, she had surgery to remove the eye. She then underwent four sessions of chemotherapy as the cancer had spread to her optic nerve but after that, the hospital signed her off and she now has annual check-ups at the oncology department at Leeds hospital. She wears glasses as she is short-sighted, but doctors say it has nothing to do with the cancer.

“At the time it probably affected us more than it did her. She had to undergo painful treatment that she didn’t like but she was too young to understand why. When she had her artificial eye fitted, it was a nightmare. It was so stressful and she had to be pinned down – she just didn’t want anyone touching it. She was so strong-willed about it, which probably helped her cope in the end.”

Although Tabitha’s cancer was found to be non-genetic, her two younger brothers have been regularly checked for retinoblastoma.

To mark Retinoblastoma Awareness Week Tabitha and her mum have hosted an under-16’s drop-in clinic in at Vision Express in York.

Around 50 to 60 cases of the childhood cancer are diagnosed each year and while 98 per cent of those diagnosed will survive, they may face having an eye removed or have lasting vision impairment issues.

Children’s sight can be tested at any age, and it’s recommended that they see an optometrist before they start school and begin learning to read. All children under the age of 16, or under 19 and in full-time education, are entitled to a free eye test and a contribution towards glasses or lenses on the NHS.

- To book an eye test at the Vision Express York store call 01904 541104.