We are the GNR: Anthony Knott

The lifeblood of the Great North Run has always been ordinary people doing extraordinary things. They are the Great North Run!

This year 60,000 runners will pound the streets, with over 200,000 people lining them, waving, cheering and willing them on from city to sea as the region comes together in unwavering support.

One of those runners will be Anthony Knott from Ryton. He’ll take on his very first AJ Bell Great North Run to say thank you to a charity that supported him and his family through one of the toughest chapters of their lives: Maggie’s Newcastle.

When Anthony started running in early 2024, he had one goal in mind – to be a fit and active dad for his son, Alfie, and to enjoy every part of parenthood. But just a few months into his training, he found himself facing a life-changing cancer diagnosis.

As Anthony progressed his training regime he noticed some blood in his urine. Turning to ‘Google’ for answers, Anthony felt informed that he had a common runner’s condition known as ‘exercise induced hematuria’, so didn’t approach his GP until 4 months later.

“My story is a warning to all men to never to shy away from going to the doctors. A trip to my GP saved my life and my future with my wife Kirsty and my son Alfie. I think in a way that Alfie, saved my life. If it wasn’t for him being a new baby in my life and my decision to get fitter for life, then I might not have discovered I had this.”

Following surgery and treatment, Anthony was introduced to Maggie’s, and it was there that he found more than just information, he found reassurance, hope, and a place where he could breathe again.

“My NHS medical team at The Freemans were brilliant; they saved my life physically, but they also introduced me to Maggie’s Newcastle, and I believe it was Maggie’s that saved me mentally and emotionally.”

For Anthony, their bladder cancer support group and access to expert staff played a crucial role in giving him the confidence to move forward, and ultimately, get back to living.

“Being able to talk to people who had gone through the same operation I was facing gave me hope. I even read a book in the Maggie’s library that explained everything that was going to happen. It helped me face the unknown with strength.”

Now, almost a year on from surgery, Anthony is back to work, back to family life, and back to running, this time with a new mission: to raise funds for Maggie’s and show others what support can make possible.

“When people hear the word ‘cancer’ they automatically think, ‘I’m going to die’ but what I learned from one of the staff at Maggie’s was that whatever a diagnosis throws at you and your family, life is still worth living.”

On September 7, Anthony is not running for a time or a medal, he’s running to give back. Everyone is a story. And together, we are the Great North Run.

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