Matthew Corkill completed his fourth Great North Run this year, but this time it took on an extra special meaning. Matthew ran in memory of his close friend Graeme, who spent six weeks being cared for at St Oswald’s Hospice.
Matthew said, “Graeme was our closest friend for many years, and my partner Johnson’s best friend since college. I wanted to do something to raise money for the Hospice and give something back for all the work the staff do.”
Graeme visited St Oswald’s throughout his two-year illness, receiving treatment and support to help improve his quality of life.
A popular, larger than life character, Graeme is described by his friends as the ‘life and soul’ of a party and lived his life to the full.
Matthew reflected, “The staff made a huge effort to make a very difficult time more enjoyable for Graeme. Graeme was a big Middlesborough fan, and the staff would decorate the Family Room for football matches and invite all of his family and friends round to watch the matches. They even provided food and drinks for everyone, too. They did the same for England’s World Cup matches as well.”
As Graeme’s condition worsened, he expressed his wish to return home for the remainder of his life. The clinical teams did everything they could to enable this to happen, including medication management, something which Matthew says Graeme was incredibly grateful for.
On July 19th, 2026, Graeme died at home, aged 39.
When asked about his Great North Run, Matthew spoke about how powerful running has been over the last year, helping to cope with the stress and sadness as his friend faced such difficult circumstances.
Matthew added, “Having spent so much time at St Oswald’s visiting Graeme, getting to know the staff and seeing the work they do, I was keen to do something to raise money for the Hospice. Running it for Graeme means such a lot and I celebrated at the end with a bottle of Champagne and a Chinese takeaway – just as Graeme would’ve done!”
Matthew raised over £1500 in memory of Graeme. Thank you to everyone who has supported and given so generously.
Do you see yourself among our 2027 Team St Oswald’s? Sign up to run for us and help us continue to provide care and support for more people like Graeme.
