Leah was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma at 8 weeks of age.
She wasn't even old enough to process what her eyes were seeing and now she was going to lose one. First, she was treated to six months of chemo from age 3 mo – 9 mo. Then there were the loads of laser to her retina. When that didn't work, her left eye was removed in September of 2004 and replaced with an implant.
In her short life, Leah has had 20+ Exams Under Anesthesia (EUA), MRI's every 6 months, port-a-cath placement and removal, a surgery meant to repair her original implant, a ton of finger pokes, several blood transfusions, nuclear medicine tests, and a partridge in a pear tree.
She still has EUA every 3 months and MRI every 6 months. She will continue EUA's until she is at least 6-years-old, but after she turns 3, they will only be every 6 months as long as they are clear.
Today, Leah is cancer free. Her chances at this point for Retinoblastoma in her right eye are increasingly lower as she ages. Retinoblastoma survival rate is 95% if it is contained within the eye--Leah's was.
Thanks to Leah's mom, Angela, for providing Snowdrop Foundation with this information.
