Daniel Ruth has been battling an extremely rare form of cancer as he sat his GCSE exams
The mother of a teenage son diagnosed with a rare form of cancer believes his life was saved after a routine trip to Specsavers.
Daniel Ruth, 16, from Litherland, attended a routine eye test at Specsavers in Crosby in March this year when the optician noticed a brown mark on one of his blue eyes. Mum Lindsay told the ECHO that the optometrist told the family to go straight to St Paul’s eye unit based at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, where doctors carried out a number of tests.
Daniel was later diagnosed with a rare form of cancer – ocular melanoma – after weeks of tests. Cancer affects five or six in every one million people each year, with only 1% of those people being children. Lindsay said that since Daniel was diagnosed, treatment has been thorough and this week he began proton beam therapy at Clatterbridge Hospital in Wirral.
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Lindsay told the ECHO: “It was terrible to get the news. Your natural reaction when you hear that is to think you’re going to lose it. I’ve had cancer myself, but when your child has it, you just feel so helpless. Chris from Specsavers has saved our son’s life After Daniel started treatment, we went back to thank him and told him how grateful we were, but he said he was just doing his job.
Daniel is currently in the middle of his GCSEs, but due to the grueling treatment he is undergoing, he will only get five. Mum Lindsay added: “He was meant to be 18 but with the stress of the treatment and the impact it has had on his mental health it would be unfair to give him more.
“Before all this we were pushing him to stay on top of his review, but health is first. He will sit some and I think they will get away from his mockery for others. He wants to go to college and study to be an electrician – he’s got a good head on his shoulders.”
Lindsay said her son, who is a huge football and music lover, often goes to watch Liverpool FC with his father Mark. He also enjoys going to rock concerts and will see AC/DC at Wembley in July. Daniel is currently experiencing headaches and dizziness as he recovers from proton beam therapy, which delivers precise but extremely high levels of radiation to disrupt and destroy tumor cells.
Lindsay told the ECHO that they should learn the results of the therapy in about three months. After news of Daniel’s diagnosis was confirmed, a group of LFC fans who go to matches with the teenager and his father Mark launched a GoFundMe to raise money.
The group of friends will climb Snowdon to raise awareness of the rare form of cancer and raise funds for Daniel and his parents during their difficult time. Lindsay said: “They have taken it upon themselves to raise money for Daniel.
“We never in a million years thought people would do something like this. Everyone has been so generous and supportive and it shows how Daniel has had such a positive impact on people’s lives.” At the time of writing, the fundraiser had raised over £2,000, doubling its initial target in just a few days.
Lindsay reiterated how a routine optician’s visit saved Daniel’s life and wants to encourage others to go and get the simple eye test. She said: “You never expect to hear the news that Daniel will hear, but it’s worth going ahead and having regular appointments. It could save a life.”
To follow Daniel’s treatment and donate to the fundraiser, click here.
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