MATTHEW’S MEALS AND MILES
Matthew’s Meals and Miles is a legacy initiative and fund launched in memory of Matthew Adams, an 18-year-old from Tynemouth who tragically passed away in May 2025 after a two-and-a-half-year battle with metastatic paraganglioma, an ultra-rare neuroendocrine cancer.
It raises money under the umbrella of Children’s Cancer North to support young cancer patients and their families from across the North East and Cumbria struggling with food and travel expenses, who are being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle.
The fund offers practical financial assistance including:
- Dedicated travel grants
- Fuel assistance
- Help with food and meal expenses
- Assistance with household bills where relevant
Born and raised in Tynemouth, Matthew was a student at Kings Priory School in the village. He didn’t let undergoing 10 rounds of chemotherapy at the RVI, followed by a drug trial in London, and further radiotherapy treatment back in the North East, stop him from achieving.
He was an enthusiastic Air Cadet with 346 (Tynemouth) Squadron, loved the outdoors and spending time exploring Northumberland’s highways and byways on his bike with his friends, and was passionate about history – in particular the Romans and Anglo-Saxons – and had been accepted to study the subject at Newcastle University.
He passed his GCSEs with top marks, completed his A-level studies, and even successfully walked all 84-miles of the Hadrian’s Wall Path laden down with kit in just one week in August 2024, alongside his closest friends.
Matthew loved Tynemouth and Northumberland. He was at his happiest watching the sun go down from Spanish Battery in Tynemouth; walking along the North Pier and seeing dolphins frolicking in the mouth of the river; and heading out with his camera to photograph Northumberland’s spectacular coastline, striking countryside, and iconic and dramatic castles.
He was funny, loyal, kind, supportive, thoughtful, determined, and generous. He was always there when you needed him, and he would be proud to know that his generous spirit is living on through Matthew’s Meals and Miles.
You can donate directly to the fund online through the official JustGiving Page: Matthew’s Meals and Miles
And because the fund is administered by Children’s Cancer North, every penny donated goes directly to those families who need it most.
If you’d like to stay updated on how Matthew’s legacy is being kept alive, make sure to follow the dedicated Matthew’s Meals and Miles Facebook Page: facebook.com/MatthewsMealsandMiles/
This is where you’ll find all the latest news, details on upcoming community fundraising events, and direct stories of how the fund is helping families who need it most.
Matthew’s mother, Jane, says: “Cancer brings so many additional pressures for families. The cost of hospital travel, treatment stays, and simply making sure there is food to eat can quickly mount up – especially when a patient’s appetite is affected.
“Matthew underwent 10 rounds of chemotherapy, a drug trial that required lengthy trips to London, and targeted radiation therapy back in the North East. Because of this, we know first-hand that cancer affects every single part of family life.
“Matthew’s Meals and Miles is about providing practical help at a time when families are already dealing with more than they ever imagined. We hope it can grow into something that makes a genuine difference to those who need it most.”
