Mrs Colleen Lloyd, baby Vaughn’s Johannesburg grandmother who would not accept advice from a Groote Schuur ophthalmic surgeon who had allegedly advised that her grandson’s eyes be removed, sent the e-mail to TygerBurger. Lloyd had surfed the internet until she located Dr Brenda Gallie in Canada. TygerBurger had reported on this determined grandmother and the urgent departure of baby Vaughn’s and his mother Melanie for Canada on 15 March.

The e-mail comes from Gallie, a professor at the University of Toronto and head of the retinoblastoma program at the hospital for sick children.

It reads: “Dear Colleen, to a great grandmother from a new grandmother: Vaughn’s EUA shows excellent response in both eyes to the chemotherapy. I am sure that Gordon (the baby’s father) has already relayed that information to you. He is starting to see, but has some learning to do to catch up. There is no risk from the right eye since the tumor has all moved back from the front of his eye, but vision will be greatly impaired in that eye. The left eye has potential for not perfect but very useful vision. He is a very lucky boy to have a granny like you!”

Meanwhile little Vaughn is on his second course of chemotherapy and is much loved at the Canadian hospital. Lloyd said he “has blossomed and nurses had taught him to clap hands. He is all smiles and a happy baby and if all goes well, will pay a month long visit to South Africa in August”.

According to the website www.babyvaughn.org.uk, the Byron couple were high school sweethearts at the Pioneer High School for partially sighted people in Worces?ter. They suffer from visual impairment.

Ms Faiza Steyn director: communications in the provincial department of health, said on enquiry that retinoblastoma was prevalent in about 1 in 17 000 live births.

“The cause is genetic, and presents as a squint, or white pupil, or the impression that a child does not see normally. Through early detection it is curable. The disease is bilateral in one third of children with the disease.”

Details of a trust account for baby Vaughn are First National Bank in the name of Michael Matthews & Associates. The branch is in Long Street, Cape Town, branch code 201709 and account number 62026478413, Swift code FIRNZAJJ461, reference number W4623.

Details of donations may be e-mailed to Donations@babyVaughn.org.uk. If an sms is sent to babyv at 38000, a donation of R10 will go to baby Vaughn’s fund.