What began as a simple concern over a six-year-old's slightly blurry vision culminated in a parent's worst nightmare: a devastating brain tumour diagnosis.
Leo O'Donnell's parents, Stacey and Mike, noticed their son squinting at the television. Assuming he might need glasses, they booked a routine eye test. That decision, they believe, saved his life.
The optician discovered severe swelling behind Leo's eyes—a classic sign of something far more sinister. They were immediately referred to University Hospital Crosshouse in Kilmarnock.
A Parent's Worst Fear Confirmed
"The hospital did an MRI and that's when they found it," Stacey recounted, the memory still raw. "A mass on his brain. They told us it was a brain tumour and we were transferred to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow that very night."
The family's world was turned upside down. Leo was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma, a type of brain tumour. Just days later, the young boy underwent a gruelling nine-hour surgery to remove the growth.
The Long Road to Recovery
The surgery was successful, but the battle was far from over. Leo faced a challenging recovery, relearning basic skills.
"He had to learn to walk again, to talk again, to eat again," his mother explained. "He lost all his coordination. He's been so incredibly brave through it all."
Leo continues to face ongoing challenges, including problems with his balance and eyesight, and requires regular MRI scans to monitor his condition.
A Crucial Warning to Other Families
Now, Stacey is sharing her family's story with a urgent message for other parents: never dismiss subtle changes in your child's health.
"If your child is complaining of blurred vision, or headaches, or is being sick, please get them checked out," she urges. "If we had left it, or put it down to something else, we could have lost him. That eye test saved his life."
The family is raising funds to support the hospital charities that aided them during their darkest hours, hoping to give back and support other families facing similar paediatric health crises.
