Determination and Retinoblastoma - Are They Linked?

A recent story reported in the UK’s Daily Mail featured an extended family who share a fighting spirit and a brush with life-threatening eye cancer.

Jarvis (aged 20 months), his father Andy (aged 41) and his grandfather John (aged 70) have all experienced retinoblastoma and carry the defective gene. Due to the treatment options available to each of them at the time of diagnosis, the outcomes have all been different.

Grandfather John lost both his eyes to the cancer when he was seven, whilst his son, Andy, lost only one eye. For baby Jarvis, chemotherapy initiated when he was three months old proved successful in treating the nine tumours in his eyes. But when a further tumour regrew, pioneering radiotherapy at Barts Hospital was used to eradicate it.

This Christmas, Jarvis and his family can relax as they open their presents because Jarvis is in remission.

But as I read this story, a strong theme of determination shines through.

Neither blindness nor partial blindness has stopped John and Andy from leading full lives. Totally blind grandfather John not only took to the ski slopes, but also installed his son and daughter-in-law’s central heating system by himself. And Andy, with the sight in only one eye, teaches dancing.

I’ve heard many stories like this one, where adult survivors of retinoblastoma have achieved so many things in their lives. Even the total loss of sight has not impeded them in any way. In fact, it has spurred them on to try harder, find more challenges.

So is there a link between determination and retinoblastoma? Which comes first? It’s certainly something that has been part of my life and has kept me going. I’d love to hear your story.

Whether you’re an adult survivor or a parent of a child with retinoblastoma, I’d love to hear from you. So please drop me a line.

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