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The Children’s Cancer North team join #TeamCCN

  • 15 Sep 2026

Meet Abigail, Head of Charity; Jenn, Marketing and Communications Manager; Jo, Community and Events Fundraising Officer; Tiago, Corporate Partnerships Officer; and Catherine, Digital Marketing Officer at Children’s Cancer North who have all stepped into the (running) shoes of our brilliant fundraisers and charity supporters this weekend!

 

The team was thrilled to be actively participating in the Great North Run weekend this year and experiencing the events from the runner’s perspective as well as in a charity supporter capacity. By taking on the challenge ourselves, our team are better able to understand the intricacies of how the events work as a runner, how we can continue to offer the best experience for the kind-hearted people who choose to run for us at any of these events each year, and decide whether we offer more places in future years for people to run in support of children and young people with cancer in our region.

Children's Cancer North team dressed in gold and holding Paint The Toon Gold signs

So, let’s meet the team and find out why they took part in the iconic Great North Run events!

Great North Run team
Children's Cancer North team dressed in gold and holding Paint The Toon Gold signs

Tiago

Tiago plays a pivotal role at Children’s Cancer North by building and maintaining strong relationships between the charity and our valued corporate supporters. He joined 63,000 other participants at the half-marathon on Sunday, where he ran with other members of #TeamCCN who are also fundraising to make life better for children and young people with cancer across the North East and Cumbria.

He says;

“Ever since I worked my first ever Great North Run in 2024 as part of the Children’s Cancer North team, I’ve wanted to run it! I was due to do it for the first time in 2025 but after my grandmother’s passing in the week leading up to the event, I was unable to do so.

“This year, with the help of my training I felt very ready and excited to take on the challenge. It was great to experience the event as a runner. From breakfast to finisher’s tent, the day was truly fantastic.”

Jenn

Jenn is the Marketing and Communications Manager at the charity and in her role she oversees our external marketing activity and ensures that everything we do supports our brand and fundraising strategy. She is also responsible for and a huge advocate of our core campaigns; Paint The Toon Gold, our September campaign for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Reading For Our Region and The Big Give Christmas Challenge. She took part in the Great North 5k on Friday evening on Newcastle Quayside and even donned some gold for our September campaign at the end!

When asked about the challenge, she responded;

“5k might not seem like much to some but, as a complete novice runner, it’s been a challenge in itself just getting my body used to the activity! I can safely say that I haven’t yet caught the ‘running bug’ and my shins aren’t thanking me, but I wanted to take on this challenge in support of the amazing children and young people that we help in our region. I’m lucky enough to see first-hand just how much difference one individual’s fundraising can make to the lives of local families affected by childhood cancer, and I wanted to do my bit to help raise more funds and more awareness of our cause.

“I also hope to be able to prove that anyone can take on a challenge, and that even a non-runner can still be part of the incredible atmosphere that makes the iconic Great North Run events so special. Time isn’t everything, it’s the taking part that counts and the doing it for a worthy cause is the proverbial cherry on top of the cake (of which I definitely thought of while running as a much-anticipated sweet treat after I finished)!”

Catherine

Catherine creates and implements digital marketing campaigns and fundraisers, works to keep growing the charity’s online presence, and helping to raise awareness of childhood cancer in the North East and Cumbria through digital means. She joined Jenn at the Great North 5k.

She said;

“When I started in my role in May 2026, I saw first-hand how our fundraisers support childhood cancer research at Newcastle University and the very real difference the money that they raise makes to the lives of children and young people with cancer. I realised I wanted to do more to show my support to young people who are facing these really tough times, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and signed up for the Great North 5k.

“I’ve never been much of a runner to be honest, having always been more of a bookworm than an athlete I felt more drawn to our Reading For Our Region campaign than physical events like the Great North Run. I feel proud about pushing myself and crossing that finish line though!”

Jo

Jo is a seasoned runner, having taken on a number of running events including the Paris Half-Marathon in 2025 in support of Children’s Cancer North. In her role at the charity, Jo directly supports our fundraisers, whether that be families or community groups. She loves meeting all of our wonderful supporters, and the Great North 5k offered the perfect opportunity to really connect with them on the course.

She added;

“Working as the Community and Events Officer at Children’s Cancer North, I get to see first-hand just how much of an impact the charity’s work has. I’m really honoured to meet incredible families, children and young people who take on exceptional fundraising challenges themselves to raise money to support Children’s Cancer North, despite going through extremely difficult times. That’s why I wanted to take on the Great North 5k!

‘‘I love the Great North Run weekend and it’s one of the best events in the calendar, so to take part in the Great North 5K and soak up the amazing atmosphere was fantastic.”

Abigail

Abigail heads up the team and oversees all initiatives we undertake at Children’s Cancer North and ensures that everything we do aligns with our mission to make life better for children with cancer.

She tells us why she’s excited to have run the Great North 5k;

“For our team to be involved in more than one element of participation in the Great North Run weekend, and to engage with our supporters who are taking on the challenge, it’s a fantastic opportunity. Only one member of the fundraising team can take on the half marathon each year as we’re such a small team, but adding the 5K element onto our weekend offering meant we have a shared experience with our colleagues and supporters.”

This invaluable experience will help us to draw from the same place of passion and dedication that we see in so many of our #TeamCCN runners and will drive us in encouraging more people to support our cause in future events having had lived experience.

To everyone who was involved and supported us over the Great North Run weekend – Thank you!

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