James, one of our 2025 Great North Runners shared with us why he chose to run for our hospice and what it means to him.

“Back in September 2022, my stepmum Jean Archer sadly passed away. In her final days, Teesside Hospice looked after her and made sure she was as comfortable as possible. It broke all our hearts—how could God take someone like Jean? She was perfect in every way. She was beautiful, had a heart of gold, always made us laugh, and loved me and my brother Scott like we were her own. She didn’t deserve to go.

When she passed, the team at Teesside Hospice were amazing. They supported us through everything and answered all our questions. They honestly don’t get the credit they deserve. They help so many families across Teesside, and I’ll always be grateful for what they did for us.

In August 2023, I decided I wanted to do something to keep Jean’s spirit alive and raise money for the hospice. I signed up to run the Edinburgh Marathon. My goal was to raise £500, but I ended up raising £1,179.

Running has helped me so much—it’s improved my life in a big way. That’s why this year, I’m running the Great North Run to raise money again for Teesside Hospice and to honour Jean’s memory.

I miss her every day, and I know she’ll be with me on the day of the run.”

We'd like to thank James for his amazing commitment to supporting our hospice in memory of his stepmum. If you’ve been inspired by James’ story and want to run in memory of someone special, or simply to support local hospice care, why not sign up to run for Teesside Hospice?

Show your support for this year’s Great North Run team by donating to their challenge via the Teesside Hospice GNR 2025 Just Giving Page