We spent yesterday afternoon in hospital. Don’t worry – we’re safe and well, we were at ward four of the Royal Victoria Infirmary to launch the 32nd Children’s Cancer Run, with the help of footballing legend and local hero, Alan Shearer.

The former Newcastle United and England team captain met with children at the Great North Children’s Hospital to set the wheels in motion for the 32nd run campaign and launch the official opening of postal and online applications for one of Europe’s biggest fun runs, which takes place every year at Newcastle Racecourse in Gosforth Park. 

Children currently receiving care on the cancer ward at the Great North Children’s Hospital at Newcastle’s RVI, spent the afternoon with soccer star, who signed t-shirts and footballs, and posed for photographs.

A long time supporter and friend of the charity, Shearer commented, “It’s a great honour to be asked here today to help launch the Children’s Cancer Run, once again. Every year I’m blown away by the incredible amount of money raised by those who take part in the run.”

"The money raised for the NECCR is vitally important not only for children in the North East, but across the world. The more people that take part in the run, the more research into cures and medication for childhood cancer can be undertaken. Without the run, the research simply could not be carried out at the level it is.”

“The Children’s Cancer Run is the perfect example of what the people of the northeast can do when they pull together to help their own. I’d encourage anybody to sign up and take part to see first hand what a special event it is and what amazing work can take place because of it.”

“By holding the launch here at the hospital I’ve been able to meet the children who have to fight this awful disease at such a young age and it’s humbling to see how well they and their families cope - not just with their illness but with the treatments which can be just as distressing. I feel extremely proud to support such a worthy cause.”

We invited the local press along to cover the launch where they interviewed the soccer star alongside the Run’s representatives Chairman, Chris Peacock and Professor Josef Vormoor, Director of NICR and Sir James Spence Professor of Child Health.

This year the launch was stripped right back, while we still invited the Run’s main sponsors, Gregg’s and we were delighted that Alan could come along, the reason we run is to raise money for the children undergoing treatment on the ward at the RVI, and their stories speak for themselves.

Over the 32 years that the run has been helping to fund the work at the Northern Institute of Cancer Research, survival rates have increased dramatically. However cancer remains the biggest cause of child death in the UK and researchers need to keep working hard to change that.

We’d encourage the people of the northeast and beyond to take this opportunity to join in with this fantastic event, support the NECCR and it’s research and help to save more lives.

You can sign up for this year’s run here: http://www.childrenscancerrun.co.uk/apply.awe

The launch made it onto Metro Radio's afternoon news broadcasts yesterday and featured on the front page of today’s Journal. You can take a look at the Chronicle’s coverage of the launch here: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/toon-legend-alan-shearer-launches-6678428

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