Baby boy is rushed 3,000 miles to the US for emergency surgery to save his sight - after the NHS didn't operate on a benign tumour growing over his eye

  • Oliver Francis developed a capillary haemangioma shortly after he was born
  • The growth swelled up to the size of a pea and caused his right eye to close up
  • Doctors told his parents to give him medication to reduce the size of the mass
  • But it caused him nose bleeds, and doctors only offered an increased dose
  • But after searching, the family came across a charity willing to fund surgery
  • He was flown to New York just 10 days later and the growth was removed 

A baby boy was rushed 3,000 miles to the US for emergency surgery to save his sight - after NHS doctors didn't operate on a tumour growing over his eye.

Oliver Francis, seven months, was born nine weeks premature and developed a capillary haemangioma while in hospital.

The benign growth on his right eye - caused by overdeveloped blood vessels - swelled up to the size of a pea and caused his eye to close up completely. 

Doctors told his parents Tasha, 25, and Mike, 34, to give him drugs to reduce the growth - but it caused him persistent nose bleeds.

Despite their pleas for help, doctors simply increased the drug dosage - but it didn't help Oliver. Instead, they searched for alternative treatments online.

But they came across New York-based charity Little Baby Face Foundation who were willing to fund the sight-saving operation.  

Oliver was flown 3,337 miles to the US just 10 days later and the growth was successfully removed - without any charge.

Oliver Francis was given drugs to reduce the benign growth on his right eye that was causing him to lose his vision. But when they were found to not work, his family searched for alternative treatments, and found a charity in the US willing to fund surgery to remove it

Oliver Francis was given drugs to reduce the benign growth on his right eye that was causing him to lose his vision. But when they were found to not work, his family searched for alternative treatments, and found a charity in the US willing to fund surgery to remove it

Mrs Francis, from Midway, Staffordshire, said: 'It is all still sinking in. The doctors in America said that if we had not operated when we did he could have lost his sight.

'The foundation are absolutely brilliant. I cannot thank them enough.

'It all happened so quickly. We flew in on October 15 and went straight to the hospital for a meeting where the doctor explained what would happen.

'Two days later, they removed the haemangioma. They paid for absolutely everything. It was such a relief.'

The growth on his right eye - caused by overdeveloped blood vessels - swelled up to the size of a pea and caused his eye to close up completely

The growth on his right eye - caused by overdeveloped blood vessels - swelled up to the size of a pea and caused his eye to close up completely

Oliver was born at Burton's Queen's Hospital in June last year and was putting on respiratory support for five weeks.

He quickly developed a mark on his right eye, but his family were told not to worry about it. 

But it kept getting bigger and bigger, and by the time they left when he was five weeks old, it was larger than a pea.

After his nine-week check-up, Oliver was referred to Birmingham's Children's Hospital where he was put on a 0.1mg dose of propranolol.

The drug is used to treat high blood pressure, irregular heart rates and capillary haemangioma.

However, it wasn't working in Oliver's case, meaning his eye was starting to become misshapen.  

Mrs Francis added: 'I was really worried and told them that the haemangioma was still growing, but the doctors did not listen to me. It was really frustrating.'

Oliver, from Midway, Staffordshire, was born nine weeks premature and developed a capillary haemangioma while in hospital

Oliver, from Midway, Staffordshire, was born nine weeks premature and developed a capillary haemangioma while in hospital

His mother, Tasha Francis, 25, said: 'I was really worried and told them that the haemangioma was still growing, but the doctors did not listen to me' (Oliver pictured in hospital in New York after the first operation)

His mother, Tasha Francis, 25, said: 'I was really worried and told them that the haemangioma was still growing, but the doctors did not listen to me' (Oliver pictured in hospital in New York after the first operation)

At Oliver's last appointment on October 5, she was told to increase the dosage to 0.26ml twice a day and 'come back in six weeks'.

WHAT ARE CAPILLARY HAEMANGIOMAS? 

A capillary haemangioma is a benign tumour consisting of an abnormal overgrowth of tiny blood vessels. 

They tend not to be present at birth, but instead appear within the first few months of life, experts say. 

Vision can be affected by ones growing on the eyelids, as it can cause the lid to droop - blocking the ability to see.

The majority do not require treatment, but in some instances propranolol is given to help reduce the size of the tumour.  

Traditional surgery to remove those around the eye is generally just for small growths that are located under the skin surface.

Source: AAPOS 

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She said: 'They wanted to leave him on propranolol for 18 months.

'I asked them if there was anything else they could do, but they just said it was the best thing for Oliver.

'I knew if I did not do anything then he was going to lose his eyesight.

'He was suffering from the side effects from the drug, such as nose bleeds and he was constantly crying because he was in pain.

'I needed to find help from somewhere.'

But Tasha had found Little Baby Face Foundation online and emailed them and days after her last NHS appointment she received a reply.

Tasha said: 'I saw a video on Facebook which showed a child from the UK with a haemangioma on his face and the foundation managed to help him. I had hope then.

'They were fantastic, they paid for everything and saved Oliver's eye sight.'

A spokesperson for Birmingham Children's Hospital said: 'In some cases surgery may be required but due to the associated risks to the eyesight and potential facial scarring, surgery, along with other treatment options, is usually considered only if non-invasive methods of treatment have proved ineffective.'  

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