A one-month-old baby from Birmingham underwent successful laser surgery and chemotherapy after a cancer diagnosis was made through a routine umbilical cord DNA test. Jahsiah Taylor-Johnson’s parents enrolled him in a National Health Service (NHS) genetic screening program that tests newborns for approximately 200 conditions.

Kelcie Taylor-Johnson, 20, said she received a call informing her that Jahsiah had retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer, just weeks after his birth on July 19. Had the condition gone undetected, Jahsiah’s eye could have been lost.

The early diagnosis allowed doctors to shrink the tumor initially with laser treatment, followed by a three-day course of chemotherapy. Jahsiah is now subject to monthly monitoring to track his recovery and ensure no further complications develop.

Kelcie, a nursery worker and first-time mother, described the experience as overwhelming but expressed relief that her son’s condition was identified so quickly. “I really didn’t expect to hear back, I just felt good we were helping research,” she said. “I’m just so glad we did the study. It’s amazing that they’ve caught and treated it so quickly.”

The NHS national generation DNA study aims to detect a wide range of conditions early in newborns by analyzing genetic material from the umbilical cord, enabling prompt intervention and treatment. Jahsiah’s case highlights the potential benefits of such newborn screening programs in identifying serious illnesses before symptoms appear.