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Christmas photo reveals deadly tumour in toddler's eye

Far from a traditional Christmas miracle, a Victorian mother has revealed how a festive photo revealed a deadly tumour in her toddler’s eye.

Mia Louden was just 21 months old when her mother, Melinda, spotted a strange marking her left pupil while looking at a Christmas snap.

“My cousins were taking Christmas photos and they just noticed something was a little bit different,” her concerned mother told the Daily Mail.

“Combined with her reaction to the sunglasses, things just started adding up.”

Mia's parents noticed the mark after flicking through some Christmas snaps. Source: Daily Mail
Mia's parents noticed the mark after flicking through some Christmas snaps. Source: Daily Mail

Despite initial concerns six months earlier, an optometrist told her parents not to worry too much about her lazy eye but rather to simply check back in later that year.

In 2011, doctors discovered that Mia had a retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer, growing so large that it took up two thirds of the space in her eye.

When her parents attempted to place some sunglasses on her, they noticed she became particularly agitated as it essentially blinded her.

As the cancer had grown so rapidly, doctors had to remove Mia’s eye, but managed to do so before the cancer travelled to her brain.

“Death could’ve been an outcome if it wasn’t treated,” Mrs Louden added.

Not letting it get her down, Mia has now started school and has made remarkable progress. Source: Daily Mail
Not letting it get her down, Mia has now started school and has made remarkable progress. Source: Daily Mail

Fast forward five years and Mia now wears a prosthetic eye and has started school with a remarkably positive attitude.

Her mother said she might occasionally bump into things on her blind side, she said the loss of her eye had not held her back and sent a warning to other parents not to overlook warning signs.

“If you see something that strikes you as a little bit different, don't be afraid to ask.”