Words and pictures: Snapper Media.
When Anabel gave birth to her daughter Esme, proud grandad Peter was forever snapping away with his camera … but some of his photos revealed signs of a sinister, hidden health problem.
It was just after New Year 2007 when Anabel Eagle got a call from her dad Peter that would change their lives for ever. As a proud dad and grandad, Peter had spent most of Christmas using his digital camera to take pictures of the whole family, but it was Anabel’s daughter Esme, then less than a year old, who was his favourite subject.
“Dad couldn’t resist snapping Esme with his camera,” says Anabel. “Her big blue eyes, button nose and messy blonde hair made her a prime target, and she’d giggle happily as he snapped away.”
But the photos revealed a horrible truth … that Esme was dangerously sick and urgently needed help…
“She was a lovely baby — never sick and always smiling,” says Anabel, 36.
Later that year, the family got together for traditional Christmas celebrations, and Esme and her siblings were the centre of attention.
“Dad took so many pictures of her — thank God,” says Anabel.
Telling light
A few weeks after the festivities were over, Peter was looking through the photos and saw that Esme’s pupil looked white in one picture — then in another.
“It was still playing on my mind when, a few days later, I remembered something I’d heard on the radio,” says doting grandpa Peter. “A grandmother had phoned in to explain how the same thing had happened when she took photographs of her grandson. The boy’s mum was so worried she took him to the doctor. A cancerous tumour was discovered behind his eye.”
For the full story, and more Daffodil Day special stories, see this week’s 60th anniversary issue of Woman’s Day (on sale August 18).
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
