Remembering Thomas

Melanie’s son, Thomas, very sadly died in April 2025 at the age of 16, after being diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. Thomas and his family were supported by Momentum during his illness, and following his death, Melanie has continued to receive support through our bereavement service, Momentum Echoes. Melanie, from West Sussex, shares her story.

“Before Thomas became ill, he was a strong, happy young man with a smile that could light up any room. A petrol head, he loved anything with an engine and had a particular passion for tractors – especially John Deere. His love of tractors started at an early age – his dad is a farmer, his brother is a farming engineer, and we live on a farm. Farming has been in the family for years and Thomas wanted to keep this going and be a farmer when he was old enough. When he was younger, Thomas used to love riding on tractors and combine harvesters with his dad and brother.

Thomas had a great sense of humour, a kind heart, and a knack for making people smile. Thomas and I were really close – we spent a lot of time together. When Thomas became unwell, he started playing wheelchair basketball. He was rather good and played for two teams – one in Sussex and one in London. We often travelled to various parts of the country to attend matches.

It was September 2024 when Thomas started experiencing bad back pain. He was given steroid injections to help with the pain, and he had a scan, but nothing was picked up.

In December that same year, Thomas started getting severe pain in his side. We took him to the GP a couple of times, but the pain was getting worse, so we went to A&E at Worthing Hospital where they did a scan, which showed a mass, which was most likely cancer. We were transferred to Southampton Hospital for a further scan, which confirmed it wasrhabdomyosarcoma and within hours, Thomas was starting chemotherapy.

Our family found ourselves facing a journey no family ever expects to take. Along the way, we were supported by many wonderful people, but Momentum Children’s Charity became particularly important to us.

When Thomas was receiving treatment at Worthing Hospital, we met Amy, a Family Support Worker from Momentum, and over time a very special relationship developed. Amy wasn’t simply someone providing support – she became someone who genuinely knew Thomas and they built a firm, trusted friendship. There were countless conversations, particularly about food, plenty of laughs over a shared love of Thai food, and moments of normality during some very difficult times. They just got along very well, which was lovely to watch.

Whether it was by phone, visiting Thomas in hospital, or spending time with us at home, Amy was always there – she just fitted in. She supported us through the brighter days and stood beside us during the darkest nightmares. Her kindness, compassion and unwavering presence helped carry us through moments that often felt impossible.

Sadly, the cancer was aggressive, and it spread very quickly. When Thomas passed away, our lives changed forever, yet Amy’s support didn’t end there. She continued the journey with us when she moved to Momentum’s bereavement team, offering understanding, friendship, and comfort at a time when we needed it most. Her support has been invaluable because she didn’t just understand our situation – she knew Thomas. Amy and I always talk about Thomas – we share messages and memories and enjoy speaking to each other on the phone and occasionally catching up face to face. As well as all the emotional support from Amy, Momentum have funded counselling sessions for me.

Without the support from Momentum, I don’t know how we would have navigated everything. Amy has picked me up on my worst days, she has been someone to guide us and has helped to soften some of the edges.

Thomas’s memory continues through #BeMoreThomas on social media and the #BeMoreThomas tractor stickers shared by friends, family, and supporters. Before Thomas got unwell, I had only ever heard of leukaemia affecting children. I hope we can raise awareness of other rare cancers, like rhabdomyosarcoma.

#BeMoreThomas started from a poem I wrote for his funeral. It isn’t just a slogan – it is a reminder of everything Thomas brought to those around him – kindness, courage, a smile that could brighten any room, and just a little bit of naughtiness that kept us all on our toes. It is an encouragement to do things now, do them faster and harder as you just don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I always want to be able to talk about Thomas, it feels positive to say his name, and it helps me.

Through #BeMoreThomas we are raising money for five charities: Momentum, Abby’s Heroes, Chestnut Tree House, Young Lives Vs Cancer and Alice’s Arc. We arrange events throughout the year, focussing on each of the charities. So far these have including tractor runs and a month-long cycling challenge.

Our next fundraising event is a garden party with cakes, a raffle, games, and plenty of canine companions. We love our garden and it felt important to do something at our house. The garden party is in support of Momentum’s Move for Momentum fundraising campaign, which runs throughout September, coinciding with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. It is on Saturday 5 September at Specialist Dog Grooming, 1 New Cottage, Findon. Local companies have donated some fantastic raffle prizes including a hamper from our local deli, a goodie bag full of special dog related things, a beauty prize and some compost. We hope to welcome friends, neighbours, colleagues, customers and anyone else who would like to join us.

Every penny raised will help Momentum continue supporting families facing challenges similar to those we faced.”

Make a donation to Melanie’s fundraising page here: https://afdjssrk.donorsupport.co/page/FUNDSTCTVNB

Follow #BeMoreThomas on socials: https://www.facebook.com/people/bemorethomas

Melanie winters-Holmes (@bemorethomas) • Instagram photos and videos

Story taken June 2026