Father's Promise to His 6 Year Old Son With Cancer | Ceri Menai-Davis on Tom's Talks Podcast

The Tom's Talks Podcast is a place where we speak to a vast array of people from different walks of life and find out what makes them them. We will speak about their unique journey and delve into the highs and the lows which ultimately define them. ⚠️ This episode discusses child loss and suicidal thoughts. If you're struggling, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123.Hugh was born on his dad's first wedding anniversary. He had the bluest eyes, the blondest hair, and a personality to match. Two weeks after his sixth birthday, he died - after a ten-month battle with a rare form of cancer that took hold in the middle of a Covid lockdown, while the family hid the diagnosis from almost everyone they knew.Six days before Hugh passed away, he made his dad promise something: "Go run it, daddy. Go get the medal." Ceri kept that promise - running the London Marathon days after burying his son, crying for five and a half of the six hours, then placing the medal around Hugh's neck at the funeral home himself.In this episode, Ceri sits down with Tom for one of the most raw, unflinching conversations this podcast has ever had - about watching a child fight cancer with more bravery than most adults could summon, the total absence of support for parents in that situation, and how he turned devastating grief into a campaign that's already changing UK employment law.What we get into:The moment a routine "tummy ache" became a cancer diagnosis, and the surreal 3am phone call that started it allLife on a children's cancer ward - the bravery, the "beads of courage," and why Hugh accumulated over 2,400 of themWhy the physical treatment isn't the hardest part - it's the complete lack of support given to parents while their child is dyingThe promise made six days before Hugh passed, and running the London Marathon with his son's shoes tied around his neckBurying Hugh with the marathon medal - and what "turning pain into purpose" actually means when you live itFounding the charity "It's Never You" - and the specific ways it supports parents financially and emotionally, including 48-hour crisis counsellingHugh's Law: the campaign to give parents of seriously ill children the legal right to be at their bedside - and why it currently doesn't exist for children over one year oldThe businesses (including Premier League football clubs) already backing the campaign, and what's blocking it from becoming lawWhy nearly 50% of couples who lose a child split up - and how Ceri and his wife stayed togetherThe disclosure most parents are afraid to say out loud: is it selfish to ask for help when your child is the one who's sick?What he wishes he'd known in Hugh's final two weeks, and the one thing - Legoland - he still regrets not doingGiving up drinking, going to trauma therapy, and the small, physical tools he still uses to manage PTSD years laterWhat a "good life" means to him now, and the advice he gives every grieving parent who reaches outPlus Tom on losing his brother Liam, the words he still regrets, and why he believes life happens for you, not to you.This conversation will stay with you. Whether you've experienced loss, know someone going through it, or just need to hear from someone who found a way through the unthinkable — this is essential listening.If you found value in this episode:👍 Like the video💬 Comment your biggest takeaway🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that matterSubscribe for weekly conversations with inspiring guests sharing real stories about resilience, growth and overcoming life’s challenges.It would mean the world to me if you were to like, comment, subscribe on my videos whilst I share my ongoing journey.Check out my website: https://toms-talks.co.uk/Follow me on Instagram:   / toms.talks__  Proudly sponsored by: https://osiofficefurniture.co.uk/Support the showCheck out my website: toms-talks.co.ukFollow me on Instagram: toms.talks__Follow me on TikTok: tomstalksSubscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks