My Story
I’m doing the Great North Run 2025 in memory of my beautiful friend Sarah Thompson. I completed this with Sarah and our Ricey baby back in 2006- when I say ‘with’, myself and Ricey did it together, Sarah sprinted of and finished miles ahead of us. This was Sarah true to form a whirl of energy, dedication and fun (she did the best belly laughs you ever saw). Over the years we’ve had some amazing adventures including learning to scuba dive, climbing Uluru and lava walking in Hawaii- Sarah was always the fastest and the fittest of us all and also the most mischievous 😏. We (Sarah, Ricey, Em, Nat, Jo and myself) were friends for 26 years and her loss is indescribable. You only had to meet Sarah once to feel her warmth and determination to make the most of life. In March 2024 Sarah was diagnosed with stomach cancer that had spread and there was nothing that could be done. This left her family and friends devastated and it was Sarah who carried us through that time still with that smile, asking after everyone, remembering everything and accepting her fate, all the while remaining so very very strong. Sarah died on 23rd June at Rotherham hospice, who provided exceptional care to her, her family and all who visited her, of which there were many. As many of you will know when you loose someone so dear to your heart it’s hard to make sense of it and do anything to help ease others pain. However, I’ve wanted to do ‘Something for Sarah’ so applied for the great north run ballot, unfortunately I didn’t get in. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to receive an offer to complete with a charity place for Cancer Research UK. I’m so very lucky to have close friends and family who have survived cancer and are thriving and that’s in part due to the research Cancer Research UK does. I just hope one day we find a cure for all cancer and even better we prevent it in the first place. I’m doing this for Sarah, her amazing family, loved ones I’ve lost and loved ones who have survived cancer. I can’t promise I’ll be as speedy as Sarah but in everything I do now that’s out of my comfort zone, I hear her voice “go on Kaz you can do it” so I know she’ll be with me. Any donations would be so very much appreciated, the work cancer research does saves lives, extends lives and supports those living with cancer, so please, if you can, donate what you are able. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this, many of you have supported me over the past year and it’s meant the world to me, wish me luck 🍀 Kazza x x x
