Daniel Thomas died of Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer which mainly afflicts children, in October. He was three days short of his 23rd birthday.

Daniel’s cancer was always extremely serious. By the time he was diagnosed, in April 2006, it had already spread from his pelvis to other parts of his skeleton and to both his lungs. His chances of living for even two years were very small. His primary tumour, which was massive, was inoperable.

Daniel always appreciated that, despite the bad hand that Fate had dealt him, he was lucky to have access to some of the best treatment in the world, and fantastic facilities on the Teenage Cancer Ward at University College Hospital in London. He knew that children with cancer in the developing world are not so fortunate, and that many do not even have access to pain relief. Given what cancer does to the body, that is a horrific thought. Even at the very end, Daniel’s pain was under reasonable control, and he died peacefully.

Daniel in fact lived much longer than expected, and did so much during those years. He took exams, passed his driving test, played in orchestras, represented his school in a national debating competition, line-judged at Wimbledon, umpired tennis tournaments, added the sax to the piano and clarinet as instruments he played and composed pieces. And he gained a scholarship to study Classics at Magdalen College Oxford, where he was very happy.

Picture: Daniel Thomas in 2006, before diagnosis

He took part in the final rehearsal for the Last Night of the Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, sat in on TV interviews by his tennis heroes Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and watched sport all over the world. None of this could he have done without the excellent care he received. His motto became Carpe diem- seize the day.

In 2009, Daniel inspired his father and other family members to do a sponsored bike ride for World Child Cancer around some children’s cancer hospitals in England, raising £13,500. Each of the hospital trusts gladly endorsed the importance of WCC’s work and it was clear that many of the children identified with children with cancer in the developing world.

Daniel’s parents believe that he would undoubtedly want WCC to flourish.