'Great North Ron' - better known to his friends as Ron Snaith - is taking on his 41st Great North Run this weekend, even despite the traumatic news just two weeks ago that his cancer has returned.
Ron, 67, now lives in Ryton but was born and raised in Jarrow and worked in the shipyards for many years. He was first diagnosed with mesothelioma - a cancer of the lungs often linked to asbestos exposure - in 2018. Though he underwent surgery which successfully removed the tumours, this summer brought horrible news for Ron and his family: the cancer is back.
He's yet to start a new course of treatment, and is still keen to give a good show of himself as the Great North Run returns to its traditional route. This year, for the first time, he will be joined by his son Paul.
Read more: Gas and electric price hikes are 'life-threatening', says NHS leader in stark letter
Ron told ChronicleLive: ""I have done every one. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with mesothelioma four years ago. I had a lifesaving operation at St Bart's in London. That was successful. They sliced through my back and cleaned the tumours from my pleural lining.
"I have recovered quite well but my last scan showed a return of the tumour. I'm waiting to hear the plan from the hospital. They have referred me back to St Bart's to see what they think too. At this moment I'm waiting for them to say what we are going to do. But I've been clear, I don't want anything before the run!"
Though his fitness is perhaps not what it was in his youth - he was just 26 when he took on the very first GNR - Ron is still looking to give the course a good go. He added: "These days I can only run for a short distance - but I can still walk quite a pace. I'll be running with another lad who's done it every time - Bob Hepburn, I met him working in the shipyards - and with my son who will be doing it for the first time. He's running for the Mesothelioma UK charity.
"Myself, I'm doing it for Readley - the mesothelioma support group. They have been with us from day one."
Like the other runners to have taken part in every iteration of the run, on Saturday Ron will head to the Newcastle Civic Centre for a reception and to remiss, the day before setting off on the classic Newcastle to South Shields route.
He added: "Having done every one is remarkable for me, especially given all of the things that could have stopped us. I was an avid footballer too and had so many injuries, even things like cracked ribs."
READ NEXT:
