Six medicine lecturers, DUCK, and the Great North Run

The recent Great North Run saw six of Durham University’s own academic staff take part. Six medicine lecturers committed themselves to training for the world’s biggest, and most famous half marathon, to raise invaluable funds for the charity Butterwick Hospice through DUCK.
Drs Marina Sawdon, Fiona Curtis, Simon Forrest, Leo Donnelly, Debra Patten and Andrew Chaytor decided to run for the charity, which “offers adults and children compassionate holistic care and relief from the pain and symptoms caused by life limiting illness”, in memory of Dr Sawdon’s mother, who died of cancer last year.
Butterwick Hospice had provided immeasurable support for her mother, Judy Massey, as well as family and friends.
Dr Sawdon said: “The Hospice offers such an important service to those with cancer and also to their families. The care they gave my mum for the short time she was there meant so much to us.”
The charity has two hospices, one in Stockton-on-Tees and one in Bishop Auckland. Today Butterwick Hospice helps around 200 patients and their families, and their funds are contributed to greatly by runners. Countless individuals take part in running events in memory of loved ones, and the Great North Run in particular is renowned for this.
Initially in 1981 the event attracted 10,000 runners. This year well over 50,000 people took part in what is now the world’s biggest and most iconic half marathon. This year marked the 29th Great North Run between Newcastle and South Shields, and was thus extremely high profile.
As they went past the start line, runners shook hands with Sting, and at the finish were treated to a display by the red arrows squadron, as well as live music and free massages.
Runners turned up in a vast, colourful array of costumes, from a giant globe to a cavewoman. As well as the medicine lecturers, around 40 Durham students ran with DUCK for Butterwick Hospice and the British Red Cross.
Amongst the runners were several celebrities, including Michelin star chef Gordon Ramsay, Apprentice winners Lee McQueen and Yasmina Siadatan, and Premier League presenter Ray Stubbs. Sting, who alongside Ashes-winning Steve Harmison sounded the starting gun, said: “It is so exciting to be here and the atmosphere is incredible. It is a perfect day with blue skies and everybody is smiling.”
The lecturers and students managed to complete the arduous challenge in a variety of times. Dr Sawdon finished the event in an astounding 2 hours 43 minutes, who before this said she had only ever run 3 miles.
For all those inspired by this, throughout this academic year there will be several running events, ranging from a banana chasing fun run to the full-on London marathon, that Durham students will able to take part in with DUCK.