My name is Phil McIntyre and I am running this year's Great North Run, my first for 14 years, to raise funds for Gateshead Health FT departments which have been very important to my family:

- the Maternity team, who looked after us and delivered both of our children safely to us, and also where my wife has worked for 14 years!

- the Special Care Baby Unit who took great care of my son when he was poorly as a newborn.

- the Breast Screening team, who carried out my wife's checks and double mastectomy procedure when she recently found out she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation.

The training and the run itself will be tougher than I've known before I'm sure, but totally worth the effort to try and give something back to these amazing services and people who, every day, support and help so many others like myself and my family.

Please show your support by donating for these wonderful causes, no donation is too small as it all helps.