Award for Birmingham brothers who faced childhood cancer

Two young brothers have been rewarded for their bravery after one of them battled eye cancer.

Harry, 5, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, had his left eye removed two weeks before his fifth birthday, after being diagnosed with retinoblastoma.

He and his brother Tommy, 8, have now been named as CHECT Champions by the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT).  

Approximately one child a week is diagnosed with the cancer every year, the trust said.

The rare eye cancer, which usually affects children under the age of six, develops in the cells of the retina and can affect one or both eyes.

The CHECT Champion Awards aims to recognise the courage, resilience and patience shown by all children affected.

Harry was diagnosed with the cancer after a routine test at school detected a tumour in his left eye.

His eye was removed at Birmingham Children's Hospital nine days later, after doctors discovered his tumour had grown to such an extent it needed be removed to save his life.

He now wears an artificial eye and continues to have his progress monitored to ensure his right eye remains cancer free and that his left eye socket remains healthy.

"Everybody thinks it's not fair in my class because I'm the only one in the class who has a special eye," he said.

"I'm glad I'm the only one in the class that has a special eye."

His brother Tommy, was given the award for supporting his younger sibling through his treatment, even helping him to clean his artificial eye twice a day.

Mum Caroline said the family had "coped well" with her son's diagnosis because he had never complained about his treatment.

"Harry never complained throughout any of it," she said.

"He was just very pragmatic and matter-of-fact, well it's poorly - it's going to hurt me so yes take it out," she added.

"The two of them have both been so strong, I'm very, very proud of them," she said.

Richard Ashton, chief executive of CHECT, he was delighted to recognise the wonderful courage and resilience shown by both Harry and Tommy.

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