STS Charity, part of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT), is joining Sunderland City Runs this year as an official partner. Several members of staff have decided to sign up for either the 10K or Half Marathon on the 11 May, to raise funds for NHS services in the area.
Jade English, Internal Engagement Officer at STSFT, is running the 10K and hoping to raise money for a unit and ward, where she has had personal experience as a family member of a patient. Her dad, Graeme, has been treated for Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer, on the Phoenix Unit and Ward B28 at Sunderland Royal Hospital. “Having seen first-hand the amazing work that the unit and the ward do, both as a family member of a patient and as a colleague, I wanted to do something to say ‘thank you,’ and to raise funds that parents like my Dad, and families like ours, can benefit from,” says Jade.
“In the summer of 2024, running unexpectedly became something that I now turn to, to manage my own mental wellbeing, which is safe to say is something that has been tested whilst supporting Dad through his cancer journey.
“So, I thought what better way to raise funds, than to combine my enjoyment of running and desire to push myself out of my comfort zone? All with some of my lovely friends and biggest supporters running alongside me.”
Jade has frequently raised money for charities in the past, taking on challenges like the Yorkshire Three Peaks and a 22-mile hike along the Cleveland Way on the North Yorkshire coast, but always avoided running-based challenges, branding herself ‘not a runner,’ with Jade describing the feeling of being out of breath from running, similar to a panic attach, which would often trigger her into becoming anxious and panicked. But now, Jade has built the confidence and reassurance that she is capable of running, and has even began to enjoy it, frequently attending local parkruns and running along the Sunderland coast near her home.
“I have absolutely fallen in love with running and how it makes me feel. For me, it’s not about being competitive or the fastest, it’s about feeling safe and trusting myself to push myself out of my comfort zone, without being triggered, and moving my body in a way that I enjoy and helps me mentally. When I run, it encourages me to be present, clears my mind and reminds me I am capable of doing things I never thought I would be.”
Running and movement have played a big part in helping Jade remain positive and manage her mental health while supporting her Dad through his cancer journey. Setting herself the challenge, alongside friends she has made on her fitness and running journey, is her way of giving back to the unit/ward that looked after her Dad. She has already hit her initial fundraising goal of £500, and is now heading towards raising £1000 for the STS Charity, all of which will help to make a difference for cancer patients and their families in the area. Read more about Jade’s fundraiser here and find out more about STS Charity on their website.
Chris Cairns is another member of STSFT staff hoping to hit fundraising and personal goals at Sunderland City Runs in May. Chris is a nurse consultant for older persons, working predominantly with people who have dementia or delirium. “I am very passionate about elderly care and believe the charitable funds raised for my chosen cause, The Older People’s Improvement Collaborative (TOPIC) would be used wisely to improve care within our older persons departments.”
(Left to right) Jade English, Internal Engagement Officer at STSFT, Chris Cairns, Nurse Consultant for older persons, Nichola Taylor, Head of Corporate Affairs and Charity at STSFT, Steve Cram, Sunderland City Runs Event Organiser
As a regular runner for over 10 years, Chris is no stranger to the mental and physical benefits of running, although he has not yet managed to beat his personal best half marathon time, set in 2019 at 1 hour and 33 minutes. After a bout of illness in 2024, which left him unable to train properly to beat his record, he was unable to do any strenuous exercise for 4 months. He has decided to join the STS Charity team at Sunderland City Runs this year, in the hopes of matching or beating his own record set at the same race 6 years ago.
“I am not quite as on track as I would like to be at the moment, so I am pushing myself hard to increase my pace, especially as I found that I had deconditioned a lot more than expected as a result of not training.” Despite setbacks, Chris has a solid training plan that has been successful in the past and is feeling optimistic that he will be able to achieve his goal on the 11th May.
Entries for the 2025 Sunderland City Run 10K and Half Marathon are now open and available on our website www.sunderlandcity10k.com
