I knew something was seriously wrong with my boy when he took his first steps

A MUM has told how she knew something was wrong with her son as he took his first excited steps.

Little AJ ticked off the milestone every parents longs for at 11 months old.


Parents Natasha and Alex Finney doted on their son as he walked for the first time, before noticing a cloudiness in one eye.

Realising it wasn't usual, they took him to the doctor where he had dozens of tests.

The youngster was diagnosed with retinoblastoma – cancer in the retina.

Due to the size of the cancer, doctors performed surgery fast to remove his eye.

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Now, AJ, from Bolton, has one artificial eye following the op the day after his first birthday.

Natasha, 29, told MailOnline: "When he got up, taking his first steps in the process, we were over the moon.

"But then we noticed a cloudiness in his eye and decided to get him into the doctors that day.

"The standout word was 'cancer'. Our hearts sunk lower than we knew was possible, we were devastated." 

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This type of tumour is sometimes referred to as a cat's eye, as it looks unusually white in the eye.

Light reflects off the cancer's surface, which than makes the patient's dilated pupils to look while in flash photos.

Natasha added: "We weren't aware of retinoblastoma before AJ was diagnosed, so we wouldn't have known any typical signs or symptoms of it.

"Although AJ had a visible squint quite early on, we weren't concerned as Alex and his mum also have a slight squint, so we assumed it was hereditary. 

"Since AJ's diagnosis, we have discovered that a squint is the second most common sign of retinoblastoma."

After the operation the youngster was in hospital for five days, with his parents only allowed in for an hour every day due to Covid restrictions.

He has recovered from the serious procedure and is walking everywhere, his parents said.

Retinablastoma is a rare type of cancer that can affect young kids, generally under the age of five.

If it is caught early it can be successfully treated most of the time.

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If can affect both or just one eye.

Symptoms of retinablastoma include:

  • an unusual white reflection in the pupil –
  • a squint
  • a change in the colour of the iris 
  • a red or inflamed eye 
  • poor vision 




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