Four North East NHS health heroes have been named as the official starters of this year’s Great North Run

Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Mickey Jachuck, from South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, Senior Sister Jade Trewick of the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, Community Nurse Dorathy Oparaeche from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Occupational Health Lead Deborah Southworth from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead are all part of the event’s Great North Thank You Campaign.

It will pay tribute to thirteen inspirational individuals through a large-scale visual installation along the course at this year’s Great North Run and has the support of partner HSBC.

Founder of the Great North Run, Sir Brendan Foster, commented that no-one deserves the honour of starting the race more than NHS staff following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sir Brendan said: “This year, at our landmark 40th staging we’ll also be welcoming runners back to the start-line after one of the most challenging experiences in living memory.

“I think I speak for the whole country when I say the heroic efforts of the National Health Service are something we should all pay tribute to.

“Historically, our starters have been public figures who have achieved great things in their chosen fields, but this year, there is no-one who deserves that honour more than the staff of the NHS, who worked so hard to care for our communities under such difficult circumstances.”

As well as being an official starter, Dr Mickey Jachuck will be running the event after he and his team provided round the clock cover for patients admitted with Covid – many of whom were critically ill.

Dr Jachuck commented: “During the pandemic, the sheer numbers of people presenting with symptoms of Covid and the demands on hospital services were immense, a large part of our work was just being on the shop floor, on the Covid wards, assessing patients and treating them.

“As always, NHS people came together and everyone supported each other to try and meet the demand. I think we all knew it would be a huge challenge, but it lasted much longer than anyone anticipated.”

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