Real life: “Our two-year-old had cancer. On surgery day she was having the time of her life”
"The Starlight Captains are changing the world, one child at a time."
By Maree Smith
One day returning to the house, one of the first comments my husband made was “Have you ever noticed something white in Thea’s eye?”. After 10 or so minutes of moving her head to different angles, it looked like a tiny white speck or almost a cataract.
John started Googling.
‘White reflection in a child’s eye (Leukocoria) can be a sign of cancer, and if seen with the naked eye, can pose an immediate threat to life. The best way to check for Leukocoria is to use a flash camera. It is normal for the eyes to flash red. If the pupil flashes white, this can be a sign of a serious problem.’
We lined up our girls and checked. Straight away, our other daughters flashed red, but we immediately see Thea, our two-year-old’s right eye flash white.
We made the earliest GP appointment we could for the next morning. The doctor checked Thea’s eyes.
Less than 24 hours after seeing the white glow, we knew that our daughter might be fighting for her life.
The next day the specialist confirmed Thea had cancer.
Two-year-old Thea post-surgery with her big sister.
A few days later, Thea underwent Enucleation – the surgical removal of the eye. We couldn’t risk cancer spreading. I knew she would adapt to her new life and uniqueness with nothing but love and support from all our amazing family, friends, and community.
On the day of the Enucleation, Jon and I turned up at the hospital. The mood was sombre. When we turned up at the admissions department, we were greeted by two ‘superheroes’ known as Captain Starlight: “Can we play with Thea this morning before her surgery?”.
Within seconds, they were on the floor with Thea, with a box of toys, ukulele in hand, singing songs and playing. Thea was beaming from ear to ear. On what was the scariest, most gut-wrenching day of our lives, we were watching our girl have the time of her life, and we were laughing alongside her playing silly jokes and games.
The Starlight Children’s Foundation delivers happiness to kids, including Thea, while in hospital.
Before going under, Thea asked if the Captain Starlights could sing her a song. While Thea cuddled in her dad’s arms, Captain Starlight played the ukulele and sang as her eyelids drifted closed. Jon told me it was incredibly hard and beautiful all at the same time, as she went to sleep so happy, not fully understanding what was about to happen to her.
I went over to say thank you for making the experience so different to how we imagined. Captain Starlight, was so humble and kind, turning around and thanking us for being so gracious and open to them. I felt at that very moment such a strong appreciation for what the Starlight Children’s Foundation do through their Captain Starlight programs across the country each day.
The next day, while Thea was in bed on the ward, there was a visitor. We open the curtains to see two Captain Starlights there, ready to play with her.
Thea continues to live with a prosthetic eye, which she calls her ‘special eye’. Her positivity shines through every day. She is an incredibly strong, inspiring and charismatic little girl that was an absolute firecracker before, and still has the same spark about her today.
I cannot imagine what this whole experience would have been like without the Starlight Children’s Foundation and their incredible Captains on Call program and the Starlight Express Room at the hospital. Turning fear into fun is the most simple way of stating what impact they have.
The Starlight Captains must have the hardest job imaginable. But they are changing the world, one child at a time.
To donate this Starlight Day or read more about Starlight Children’s Foundation and Thea’s story, please click here.
