Meet Mae, the Great North Run runner who raised more than £2,000 for cancer research

Mae Craven, a 19 year old studying mathematics at Newcastle University, has raised more than £2,000 for cancer research after completing the Great North Run in memory of her mum, who died from cancer when Mae was 15.

Taking on the 13.1-mile challenge through a charity place, Mae said the opportunity to run for a cause so closely connected to her own life made the difficult moments of the race worthwhile.

“There were definitely moments where it felt overwhelming, but knowing exactly who I was running for made it all worth it,” she said. “I think she would have been incredibly proud, and that thought carried me through.”

The run was far from easy. As the miles went on, tired legs and the heat began to take their toll, with dehydration becoming a particular challenge at around 18km.

And, in perhaps a less profound but equally devastating setback, Mae also lost an AirPod.

Despite the difficulties, the reason behind the run kept her going.

“I didn’t want this to just be about completing a half marathon,” she said. “I wanted to use the challenge to raise awareness and hopefully make a difference to other families who are going through what mine did.”

For Mae, the more than £2,000 raised represents far more than a fundraising target. Having seen the effects of cancer on her own family, she wanted to use the challenge to support research that could give other families more time together.

“Cancer has affected my family in a huge way, so being able to turn something difficult in my life into something positive is really important to me,” she said.

Losing her mum at 15 has also changed the way Mae understands the disease. She said that, as a young person, she did not necessarily understand the full extent of what was happening, but growing older has made her realise how profoundly cancer affected her whole family.

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“It’s made me appreciate how important research is, because behind every statistic is a person and a family who are hoping for more time together.”

Her motivation is therefore rooted not only in remembering her mum, but in the hope that research can prevent other families from experiencing the same loss.

“If there’s a chance that better research and treatments can give someone more time with the people they love, then that’s something I really want to support.”

There was also a personal connection between the challenge and her mum: she loved running herself.

As Mae crossed the finish line, she was left wishing her mum could have been there to see it.

“There’s obviously a part of me that wishes she could have been there to cheer me on,” she said.

But running in her memory offered another way to keep her close.

“I think she would have been really proud of not only the achievement but also the reason behind it and everything that went into it,” Mae said. “Being able to run for her and raise money in her memory made me feel like she was still a part of it all.”

Featured image: Mae Craven

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