News
Young Boy's Life Saved Thanks To A Camera Flash Detecting Eye Cancer
by Emily Arata
If it hadn't been for a few modeling headshots, Taylor Treadwell's family would never have caught his cancer in time.
In 2013, Taylor's mother, Tina, took him to the hospital after her sister noticed the camera flash brought out an odd "glow" in the boy's eyes.
That seemingly innocent white reflection turned out to be retinoblastoma.
By the time Taylor was examined at the hospital, the aggressive cancer had already caused a large tumor in his right eye and three smaller tumors in his left.
Although the team was able to save Taylor's left eye, the cancer had already torn through his right retina and caused irreparable damage.
After four months of chemotherapy, Taylor was declared in remission.
Taylor leads a healthy life, even with blindness in his right eye. Doctors said the continuous blood flow to his eye means there's a possibility of retina reattachment one day.
He returns for regular eye checks but has remained cancer free.
He even became a model for the UK's Childhood Eye Cancer Trust.
Its awareness campaign uses Taylor's image to bring attention to the importance of flash photography in detecting retinoblastoma.
