Jamie Covington, 12, noticed lumps on the right side of his neck while on holiday in Spain in April 2023. The lumps grew bigger and caused pain, leading to multiple hospital visits.
Diagnosis and Treatment
It took about eight weeks to diagnose the problem. Doctors initially suspected an infection and prescribed antibiotics, but the lumps persisted. Biopsies and scans at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge eventually showed that the sporty teenager had alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare cancer that had already spread throughout his body.
“I'd never heard of it and I didn't even really know much about childhood cancer or any cancer,” said Jamie’s mum, Sam Holson, 51. “No one wants cancer to be in your child's body.”
Jamie underwent nine rounds of chemotherapy and 23 sessions of radiotherapy. He finished treatment around December 2023 and went into remission. He returned to school and football training.
Relapse and Fundraising
Six months later, a lump appeared in his abdomen. A CT scan in April 2024 showed the cancer had aggressively returned in three places: his stomach, next to his heart and lungs. He received 13 rounds of a different chemotherapy. Despite side effects including mouth ulcers that left him unable to talk, he went into remission again in early 2025.
But a routine scan in April 2025 showed the sarcoma had returned in several places. The family learned of a clinical trial in Germany offering a tailor-made immunotherapy vaccine for children who have relapsed with rhabdomyosarcoma, but the trial fell through. They discovered a private clinic offering similar treatment and raised nearly £500,000 to cover costs.
“We hoped that the cancer had gone away for good,” Sam said. “That was a massive shock because there were no symptoms this time.”
Final Battle and Legacy
The treatment in Germany was not enough. Jamie passed away on November 30, 2025, aged 15. “I'm still trying to cope with the loss now,” Sam said. “In some respects, it seems to be getting more difficult because towards the end he was in a lot of pain.”
Sam described Jamie as “incredibly brave” and “stoic”. She said, “I don't think anyone had ever met anyone as strong and as tough and as brave as him.”
The family is determined to raise awareness of sarcoma. According to a YouGov poll, 75% of people in the UK have never heard of the cancer. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma is extremely rare, with only 31 cases diagnosed in England each year.
“Sarcoma is a silent killer,” Sam said. “There needs to be massive awareness raised about sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, how aggressive it is and how it can go undetected.”
Sarcoma UK’s research manager, Emily Williams, said, “This is a devastating disease that can strike without warning and, for too many families, it still means facing an uphill battle against limited treatment options. That's why we're proud to be funding vital projects tackling it head-on.”
Sam urged parents to trust their gut and push for a diagnosis if they notice lumps. “People don't want to worry or to think their child might have cancer, but you cannot leave it,” she added.
