Stockton eye cancer survivor launches project to help parents
24-year-old Nicole Beddard was diagnosed with retinoblastoma when she was only 3-months-old.
A Stockton student who battled eye cancer as a baby is launching a new research project to find out how parents cope with such trauma.
Nicole Beddard, of Norton, was only 3-months-old when she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma and had one of her eyes removed.
She was given the all clear five years later and is now a Health Psychology student at Teesside University.
The 24-year-old is urging parents of children who've had retinoblastoma to come forward and tell her their experiences of diagnosis, treatment and aftercare.
Nicole has already had people get in touch from as far afield as New Zealand.
She said: "I want to look at parent's experiences of when their child was going through retinoblastoma.
"All throughout the diagnosis, the treatment and the aftercare as well.
"What they felt when they were going through that and what support they had.
"It's the parents that look after the child and if they're incredibly young, they don't know what they're going through.
"It's the parents who get all the feelings from this.
"It's so overwhelming that a lot of parents are going through this and if they're not getting the support, how are they coping?"
Nicole hopes if her research is a success, then she would use her findings to start a PhD and implement proper support for families affected by retinoblastoma.
If you're the parent of a child who had retinoblastoma, you can get in touch with Nicole at NicoleBeddard@gmail.com.