I'm running the Great North Run in memory of my stepson and to raise funds for Grace House

Matthew was just 14-years-old when he passed away in 2009.

Born with an undiagnosed medical condition similar to cerebral palsy, Matthew was unable to communicate verbally and had severely limited mobility, leaving him unable to walk or control his movements.

John Paul, Faculty Academic Support Lead at the university, will take part in September’s Great North Run to raise money for Grace House, a charity he knows Matthew would have benefited from had he survived.

Since 2003, Grace House has supported disabled children, young people and their families in Sunderland.

John Paul said: “He had the most remarkable smile and a wicked sense of fun. His laughter was infectious, and he brought so much joy and happiness to all those who met him.

“He was even a regular visitor to the University of Sunderland while his mum Kay studied for her media degree.

“Sadly, in 2006 an incident left him with a serious brain injury, just four months before his brother and sister were born, from which he never fully recovered, and his life-limiting conditions meant he passed away far too soon.

"We were all fortunate that Matthew got to know Lucy and Daniel before he passed away two years after their birth and while it was short, the time they spent with Matthew, and the memories of him, had a profound and positive effect on them, as well as all who knew him.”

John Paul, who has worked at the University in a variety of roles for 28 years, said: “To be honest, I never thought I was built for running – too many bad memories of being a regular attendee at the back of cross-country runs in school.”

Next month’s challenge is even more impressive considering it was just five months ago that John Paul laced up a pair of running shoes for the first time.

He said: “My daughter completed the Great North Run in 2024 and she’s a big inspiration; she ran for Grace House then.”

The family knows that Matthew would have been able to access the support services Grace House offers had he lived a few more years, once he had left school.

They have supported Grace House for a number of years through challenges like walking between Roker and St Mary’s Lighthouses, even with Lucy on crutches, and multiple Great North Runs - and this year (2025) it’s John Paul’s turn.

You can donate to John Paul’s cause via his Grace House fundraising page.