A four-year-old boy from Merthyr Tydfil is believed to be only the second child in the world to be diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer. Oliver Waters was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in his eye in December 2025, just a month after undergoing surgery to remove the contents of his right eye.
Oliver's medical journey began shortly after birth when a problem with his right eye was detected during routine checks. He was referred to the ophthalmology department and had ongoing appointments for 18 months before being referred to Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Rare iris cyst and painful light sensitivity
His mother, Freya, explained that in 2023 doctors found an extremely rare condition called an iris cyst. Oliver underwent numerous tests and biopsies while becoming increasingly sensitive to light, a condition known as photophobia.
Freya said: "He couldn’t go out in the sunlight to play with his sister, Ruby, and he had to wear sunglasses all the time. When we went out he would hide in his pram under a blanket. We couldn’t do normal family things like going to the park."
Oliver had five rounds of laser treatment and different medication, but nothing helped. Freya and her husband Jack then asked the consultant about other options, and the possibility of removing the eye was discussed.
Surgery and the 'magic eye'
In November 2025, Oliver had an evisceration procedure, where the contents of the eye are removed. The following month, the family received the devastating news that Oliver had adenocarcinoma in his eye. Doctors told the couple that, as far as they were aware, Oliver was only the second child in the world to have been diagnosed with it.
Oliver then had further surgery to remove remaining eye tissue, and a prosthetic eye was inserted, which the family have affectionately named 'the magic eye'. The prosthetic eye has meant Oliver no longer experiences the same painful sensitivity to light and can go outside and play like any other little boy.
However, it requires regular cleaning, and Freya said even a common cold can bring additional challenges. "If he gets a cold it’s not just a usual cold. It’s completely different for Oliver. The eye gets a lot of gunk around it and needs extra cleaning and he’s prone to infections."
Support from charity and community
Freya said there has been incredible support from family and the community in Merthyr Tydfil. She wanted to tell Oliver's story to raise awareness, as she remembered not knowing where to look when told her son would have his eye removed.
She said: "Then I found people on Instagram and TikTok and reached out there because I honestly didn't know what life was going to look like. And I just hope people get that from our story that there is support out there, people to talk to and share with."
Freya praised the charity Latch, as well as Young Lives vs Cancer and Chill, saying they have helped the family hold it all together. She described the times as "really hard, absolutely heartbreaking," but added that Oliver is resilient and loves life like any other four-year-old boy.
Child of Courage award
Oliver's courage was recognised at the Child of Wales Awards 2026, where he won the Child of Courage under 13 prize, becoming the youngest winner in the award's history. Freya said Oliver was over the moon and couldn't wait to get on stage to speak to 700 people and thank everyone.
Freya, 30, added: "He's honestly over the moon and so are we as his family. We're just so proud of him because everything he's been through, and everything he's still going through, he thoroughly deserves it."
For the family, the future still brings uncertainty. Oliver still has to have MRI scans, go under anaesthetic, and undergo constant monitoring because the cancer is so rare. Freya said she wants to advocate for children going through this and their families, to raise awareness and show that support is out there.
