Julie Nunes, 57, was referred to the Adult In-Patient Unit at St Oswald’s Hospice, following a short stay in hospital.
The mam of two had been diagnosed with glioblastoma – an aggressive form of brain cancer. Not long after her referral, Julie died at the Hospice in July 2025, with her family by her side.
Her son, Joe, 27, remembers, “From the very first day, and even still today, the compassion, love, care and support that the Hospice gave to my mam, and to the whole family, during such a difficult time has been incredible.”
Julie was determined to bring her own sense of humour and light following her cancer diagnosis, even going so far as to call her brain tumour “Stella”, so that her children wouldn’t be scared of it.
During the course of her diagnosis, Julie attended St Oswald’s day services each week, joining in with the therapy group sessions, providing support, care and a safe space to connect with others facing a similar situation.
As her condition progressed, Julie and her family made the decision to move to St Oswald’s Hospice, to ensure Julie’s complex medical needs were met – something which they could no longer do at home.
Joe reflected, “As a family, we were able to be together at the Hospice and it gave us peace of mind to know that my mam was being so well looked after. It’s a really special place and I still come back quite often to sit in the Memory Garden, to remember my mam. It helps me feel connected to her.”
Looking ahead to the Great North Run, Joe recalls his mam running the half marathon back in 2011.
Joe said, “I remember at the time thinking it was an amazing achievement and something I could never do. But, my mam always said I could be or do anything I wanted so I’ve signed up, and trained hard, and it feels incredibly special to be doing it in memory of her.”
Joe’s family will be cheering him on from the sidelines as he aims to complete his first ever Great North Run in under 2 hours.
Joe added, “The hospice looked after my mam so beautifully and I’m looking forward to honouring her whilst giving something back to the charity who did so much for us.”
If Joe’s story has inspired you to take on the Great North Run, head to our website where you can secure your place on the 2027 start line.
