COUNTY NEWS: '˜White glow' photo alerts parents to Jaxson's eye cancer

It was this photo which first alerted the parents of one-year-old Jaxson that something might be wrong.
The photo of Jaxson  showing a white reflection in his eye which was then diagnosed as retinoblastomaThe photo of Jaxson  showing a white reflection in his eye which was then diagnosed as retinoblastoma
The photo of Jaxson showing a white reflection in his eye which was then diagnosed as retinoblastoma

While one eye shows the usual red glare from the flash of the camera, the other eye has a strange white glow.

“We all have flash cameras on our phones these days and after taking a few of Jax I noticed this white reflection in one of his eyes,” dad Owen Scrivens, 20, explained.

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“When I looked back at other photos I realised every one of them had the same.

Jaxson started chemotherapy on December 30 which has seen him lose his hair, but after being grumpy for a few days after treatement he returns to his happy self, his dad Owen saidJaxson started chemotherapy on December 30 which has seen him lose his hair, but after being grumpy for a few days after treatement he returns to his happy self, his dad Owen said
Jaxson started chemotherapy on December 30 which has seen him lose his hair, but after being grumpy for a few days after treatement he returns to his happy self, his dad Owen said

“We went on the NHS website and read it could either be a cataract, a detached retina or retinoblastoma. It said eye cancer was extremely rare so you don’t expect it.”

However, the Felpham, near Bognor Regis, family’s worst fears were realised when a consultant at Royal London Hospital, confirmed Jaxson had cancer of the eye.

“When the doctor told us the news Emily (Jaxson’s mum, 20) just burst into tears,” Owen said. “It was horrible.”

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The family were told that to stand any chance of saving the eye, 14-month-old Jaxson would need chemotherapy.

Mum Emily playing with her brave sonMum Emily playing with her brave son
Mum Emily playing with her brave son

After having a Hickman line inserted into the top of his heart at Southampton General Hospital, the first of six rounds of chemotherapy was administered straight away on December 30.

“Chemotherapy has made me lose my hair, made me sick, tired, weak and everything I eat tastes like metal although now I have a lot of meds to try and control the sickness. The side effects make me a very grizzly boy,” a Go Fund Me page, written by Emily from Jaxson’s point of view, says.

The couple have set up the page to raise money for the Sussex Snowdrop Trust and the Piam Brown oncology ward at Southampton Hospital for greatly supporting them in their fight, and crucially, to raise awareness of retinoblastoma.

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Owen said: “What’s really shocked us from talking to people is them saying ‘my niece or nephew had a white glow in their eye but we didn’t think anything of it’.

Dad Owen with his young son in hospitalDad Owen with his young son in hospital
Dad Owen with his young son in hospital

“Quite often it’s genetic and it a occurs in both eyes, so worst case scenario, apart from it being fatal, a child could be blind in both eyes, which is just horrible.”

Thankfully, Jaxson’s retinoblastoma only affects one of his eyes, and the chemotherapy has begun to shrink the tumour, raising hopes that they caught it early enough to save his eye.

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A scan showing the tumour in his right eye. Owen and Emily are desperate to raise awareness so families can catch retinoblastoma earlyA scan showing the tumour in his right eye. Owen and Emily are desperate to raise awareness so families can catch retinoblastoma early
A scan showing the tumour in his right eye. Owen and Emily are desperate to raise awareness so families can catch retinoblastoma early
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