In September 2026, we will be joining thousands of runners on the iconic Great North Run route to raise funds for Gateshead Health Charity and three services that make a real difference to patients and families across our region: breast screening, bowel cancer screening and abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.

Screening can find problems before symptoms appear. That early detection can lead to earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and better outcomes. At Gateshead Health, these services support large communities across the North East and beyond, including breast screening across Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham and Chester-le-Street, and bowel cancer and AAA screening through regional and national programmes.

We are running because we want to help these teams continue to improve the experience of patients who are invited for screening, support awareness of the importance of attending appointments and contribute to services that can quite literally save lives.

Training for 13.1 miles will be a challenge, but it is nothing compared with the challenges faced by patients and families waiting for results, diagnosis or treatment. Every step we take will be motivated by the people who benefit from early detection and by the dedicated NHS teams who provide these vital screening services every day.

Your donation, whatever the size, will help Gateshead Health Charity support breast, bowel and AAA screening services. Charitable funds can help enhance patient information, improve comfort and experience, support awareness activity and enable service improvements that go beyond core NHS funding.

If you are able to sponsor us, we would be hugely grateful. If you cannot donate, sharing this page would also mean a great deal and will help us spread the message about the importance of screening.

Thank you so much for supporting us. Your encouragement will help us through the training miles, the early starts and the final push to the finish line. Most importantly, your donation will support services that help detect cancer and serious vascular conditions early, giving people the best possible chance of a better outcome.