Mairi Claire Routledge (Sayers)

18.06.83 - 24.02.26

This year, I’ll be taking part in the Great North Run for the 13th time but it will be the first time that I don’t have Mairi Claire by my side. Every year, come rain or shine, Mairi Claire would be waiting for me at the finish or cheering me on from her vantage point on the Tyne Bridge. On many occasions, she would manage to do both by racing across to South Shields on the metro after a quick wave in town! Just typing this has broken my heart. So many normal things we did as a family are now gone.

Despite this, words can’t express the immense gratitude we all have for the incredible support that the team at St Oswald’s provided her with. In her final days, Mairi Claire was treated with such care, compassion, respect and dignity by the whole team. She was comfortable and at peace knowing that St Oswald’s will continue to support the family and, in particular, our beautiful Patrick. The staff all cared deeply and showed such kindness to us all.

Mairi Claire didn’t consider her long journey with cancer to be a ‘fight’ or ‘battle’ as these words held too much anger. She wanted to reserve space in her heart only for love. She was the most beautiful person I knew both inside and out and the most incredible mammy to our precious son, Patrick, who is utterly heartbroken.

Most of you reading this will have known Mairi Claire as a friend. She was also an amazing daughter to Michael and Catherine, sister to Michael, Aidan and Gemma, niece and cousin to many, Aunt to Eva, Jack, Maggie, Emily, Luke, Cassie and George, Sister in Law to Kelli, Patricia, Danny, James, Jack, Jordan, Heather and Fran, Daughter in Law to Bev and Phil, Teacher to hundreds, Wife to me and Mammy to Patrick - her favourite person in the world.

Mairi Claire would be so happy to know that, in her name, money could be raised to help other people receive the same care in their final days.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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