Routine eye exam changed everything for Airdrie’s Baby H
A routine eye exam for a toddler in Airdrie led to a life-saving diagnosis of bilateral retinoblastoma. The family continues to navigate ongoing medical treatments and travel requirements.
Why it matters
The story underscores the critical importance of preventative pediatric healthcare and the challenges families face when accessing specialized medical care.
Bre Kaglar took her one-year-old daughter for a routine eye exam.
Kaglar called it a “happy visit” — a chance for Baby H to get used to doctors, lights and medical equipment while she was still young.
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Instead, Kaglar said optometrist Dr. Jared Long at Airdrie Eyecare Centre noticed something in her daughter’s eyes.
The appointment led to a diagnosis of bilateral retinoblastoma , chemotherapy and treatment in Toronto.
More than a year and a half later, Baby H is now two-and-a-half. Doctors are watching changes in her right eye, and trips to Toronto that her parents had not expected to continue into 2027 are still part of life.
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