Ellington Couple Giving Protective Glasses to Kids in Need

When Erin and Adam LaFleche noticed a strange reflection in their 3-year-old son Justin’s eye, they thought it was odd, but weren’t overly concerned. But then, one of his eyes appeared lazy and his parents took him to the doctor. They weren’t prepared for what would come from that visit.

From there, the pediatrician told them to go to Children’s Eye Care in Glastonbury to see a pediatric ophthalmologist. It was there that doctor Christopher Kelly told them that their son had either Retinoblastoma, cancer of the eye, or Coats Disease and that he needed to see a specialist immediately.

The LaFleches took Justin to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where the eye center diagnosed him with Stage D Retinoblastoma and told them that his eye had to be removed to prevent it from spreading to his brain and the rest of his body. The eye was completely covered in cancer. The family went to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to get a second opinion, and that doctor agreed with the doctor at Yale.

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On May 11, 2011, Justin’s left eye was removed. He did well through the surgery and recovered quickly, and an MRI came back clean and he was cancer free. For the next couple of months, he wore an eye patch, and on July 29, 2011, he was fitted with a prosthetic eye.

The doctors told the LaFleches to get Justin non-prescription glasses with polycarbonate (shatter proof) lenses to protect his remaining eye from injury. They were horrified to find out that the glasses, which range from $250-$300, are not covered by insurance.

Finding that out gave the LaFleches the idea to start Specs for Little Heroes, and organization that raises money and gifts glasses to other children who have Retinoblastoma and whose insurance does not cover the glasses.

So far, the organization has provided 37 pairs of glasses, including four pairs to children outside of the United States.

This past weekend, the LaFleches and a team of family and friends competed in the at Crystal Lake. The team members were sponsored and they raised approximately $1,000. After the triathlon, the LaFleches continued the fundraiser with a party at their home. Erin said that 90 people came and through the raffles, sales of t-shirts, and donations, another $3,100 was raised. A few days later, a donor gave the LaFleches a check for $2,000.

“That’s way more than we’ve taken in in the last year,” Erin said. “That is huge.”

There is a backlog of children who need these glasses due to eye cancer, so this money will be able to take a children off this list. Erin feels that these glasses are so important because protecting the remaining eye is key.

“Talking with the person who made his prosthetic eye, they said it’s not the cancer that keeps them in business, it’s the falling on sticks, the baseball to the eye, the falling on a coffee table that injure – and sometimes kids lose an eye,” she said. “You can’t afford that or you’re blind. That’s why we feel so strongly about these glasses.”

This is a disease that strikes young children, because by the time the child is 5 years old, the retina is fully formed and the cancer cannot develop.

The LaFleches would like parents of young children to know that if they ever notice a white glare or a "cat like reflection" in the child's eye, or if they see a white eye instead of a red eye in a photograph, this could be a sign of retinoblastoma.

If you would like to learn more about the LaFleches, the organization, or make a donation, check out the Facebook page and Web site.