A rugby-playing dad has spoken of his “disbelief” at learning he has just months left to live – and how he’s been inspired by England legend Lewis Moody and his own health battle.
Former Tonbridge Juddian player Stu Thomas has been diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable brain cancer.
Former rugby player Stu Thomas at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, last year. Picture: Stu Thomas
He said: “A bit of a shock was an understatement. It was disbelief really.
“You couldn’t quite marry the physical fitness and lack of symptoms with the diagnosis.
“Bluntly the surgeon said I had about six months if we don’t do anything. If we operate, it would be 12 to 18 months.”
The 58-year-old has played rugby for the last five decades, starting as a youngster, where he would train five times a week.
Despite being completely fit and healthy, on a random Monday last June, Stu suffered a life-changing chronic seizure.
The dad-of-two with his daughter Phoebe, 14, after her Kent cup win. Picture: Stu Thomas
During the run-up to the incident, he didn’t have any symptoms, but noticed that week how he couldn’t quite find a word when talking.
“I struggled to remember what it was. It seemed odd but not odd enough,” Stu explained.
“Then, when I was looking up at my wife, who was sitting in the kitchen, I tried to speak to her. No words would come out at all.
“It felt like a cord was attached to the back of my head and was pulling the skin.
“I remember losing consciousness. I felt like I was being sick – I was actually foaming at the mouth.”
Stu with his teammates at the veterans’ match. Picture: Stu ThomasThe 58-year-old completed a walk with friends and family, raising £18,000. Picture: Stu Thomas
Around a week later, Stu was transferred from Maidstone Hospital to King’s College Hospital in London, which is where he was diagnosed with glioblastoma.
It is an aggressive and Grade 4 cancerous brain tumour.
The average survival time is around 12 to 18 months. Only 25% of people survive more than one year, with 5% of those surviving more than five years.
Stu added: “Throughout the treatment and in the last few months, you’ve got really no indication apart from seizures, that show you are unwell.
“Every new thing that happens to you, a little bit of earache and you think, is that connected? I feel tired, is that connected?
He was inspired after rugby legend Lewis Moody recently revealed his battle with MND. Seen here taking a training session at Ollerton Rugby Club
“I’m very lucky that I haven’t suffered from any permanent, lingering physical disability as a result.”
This time last year, the dad-of-two decided to complete a walk for The Brain Tumour Charity, which is dedicated to funding research, raising awareness, reducing diagnosis times and providing support.
Stu made the trek from way out in East Kent to the Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Football Club (TJRFC) – raising around £18,000.
He says that after watching the recent BBC interview with sports legend and former England rugby captain Lewis Moody, he was inspired to do it again.
Lewis, who previously played for Leicester Tigers and Bath, heartbreakingly revealed he had Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and explained how he had to tell his family the news.
He completed another fundraising walk in October, this time for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Picture: Stu Thomas
“I could see the same emotions in his explanation, or talking about the diagnosis and what he was going to do, and the disbelief and the questions he had,” Stu recalled.
“He was an honest rugby player, who off the pitch, was one of the nicest folks you could hope to meet. I was in tears.
“I’m not afraid to say I cried watching Lewis on the sofa, interviewed by the BBC with his wife, struggling to make sense of the reality of what lies ahead.
“It took me straight back to the same scenes I went through last year. As he talked it was like looking in a mirror.”
Lewis made a return to the pitch on Saturday (November 2) and carried out the match ball ahead of England’s commanding 25-7 triumph against Australia.
Stu has totalled up that nearly £6,000 has been raised for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation – a research charity dedicated to MND.
More than 30 people joined him on his journey, which took place on Saturday, October 18.
They left Maidstone West Station at 7.30am and picked up those who preferred a shorter walk at The Waterside Cafe, East Peckham, at about 11am.
The final destination was the club, where a home game was being held against Plymouth Albion at 3pm.
Stu continues to coach the girls team at the rugby club, which is where his 14-year-old daughter, Phoebe, plays.
