Last November, exactly a week after giving birth to Ruairi, my little sister Lucy had a cardiac arrest at home.

The fact she is still with us is something my family will never ever take for granted. She survived that day because so many different people played a role, including our amazing mam who started CPR, the paramedic who was on scene within minutes, the air ambulance team that were mobilised, and the resus and ICU teams at NSECH.

Every single person who cared for Lucy that day and the days following are the reason Francesca and Ruairi still have their mam.

For that reason, next September a group of us will be running the GNR together to raise as much money as possible for the Great North Air Ambulance Service. Please donate to this amazing cause if you can, or share if not.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) rescues hundreds of severely injured or ill patients every year throughout the North East, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man. Their doctor-led critical care teams deliver life-saving treatments at the scene of the incident whether that is on a fell top, a roadside or in a city centre. The charity responded to 1,998 call outs in 2024/25, via their helicopter and emergency response vehicles, where they performed treatments and procedures which can mean the difference between life or death.