Ava was only 2 months old when she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma. She had a cross eye, which we, as new parents, were assured was normal for newborns. She wouldn’t not make eye contact yet and was frequently looking toward lights. At her 2 month old pediatrician appointment, she began having rapid eye movements that were abnormal and we were referred to an eye specialist. Within a week or so, Ava had been diagnosed with eye cancer and we were off to Philadelphia (from Virginia) to see the leading provider for this cancer.

Ava received systemic chemotherapy for 6 months. During that time, she also had tumors in both of her eyes treated with laser and cryotherapy. After only 2 months of stability, Ava had recurrence of her tumor growth and then had to receive intra arterial chemotherapy delivered by a neurosurgeon via a specialized procedure that gave chemo into her ophthalmic artery. In between treating both of her eyes with this, she had some chemo injected directly into the vitreous fluid of her eye. She routinely received MRIs and Eye Exams under anesthesia to evaluate tumor growth and to ensure that cancer had no spread into the brain.

Ava’s diagnosis and treatment have made us realize how precious life is and that we should value every minute that we have in this life. We have met so many amazing people and families that have helped us along the way. We also have realized just how amazing kids are!

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