Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

This year will mark the ten year anniversary of our fathers death. We decided to mark this anniversary by running (or trying to run) 13.1 miles in the Bupa Great North Run.

Our dad was always a keen supporter of charities, both taking part in charity events and offering his support. He once even met the Queen after completing a charity walk! We would like to honour his memory by fundraising for St Oswalds Hospice where he spent his final days.

In late 2003, Dad found out that the cancer we thought he had beaten some years earlier had returned in a more aggressive and rare form. Unfortunately there was nothing medically that the doctors could do to save him and the only treatment available was pallative care. We were advised in December 2003 that Dad would have, at best guess, 6 months to live.

Our Dad never gave up; he kept setting himself targets and goals to achieve.  He fought his illness with such courage and dignity. In late May Dad left our family home for the last time and after a night spent at the local hospital we made the decision as a family that he should be moved to St Oswald's Hospice.

We arrived at the hospice not knowing what to expect.  What we found was an amazing place!  The care that was provided for our Dad was second to none.  The hospice provided an enviroment where he could be cared for and where family could spend valuable time with him. The doctors, nurses and support staff were, quite simply, fantastic! The staff even helped him organise a tea party to celebrate our mum's 50th birthday on June 2nd. We know that our Dad was thankful for the care and support that St Oswald's provided and so were we.

Dad fought his illness bravely to the end and died peacefully in the early hours of the 5th of June 2004; he was 56 years old.  During the hardest days of our lives nothing was too much trouble for the staff at St Oswald's and that is why we would like to raise as much money as we can to show our gratitude for them and the work they do.

Thank you for reading our Dad's story and please help us in our fundraising. 

Natalie and Andrew Dawson