In October 2021,  my family and I had our lives changed forever when my beautiful dad passed away suddenly. He was following a course of chemotherapy treatments, preparing for a bone marrow transplant that would’ve been the following December. Dad was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer that caused much confusion and unknown corners in his life and ours. It would be an under exaggeration to say how gracefully he dealt with it over the years, not once complaining about his condition. We are the proudest family alive. 

My Dad is hard to explain in words, as many who were lucky enough to have met him would also say. He could make you feel like the only person in the world when he spoke to you. Although he was taken far too soon, he lived the fullest life anyone could dream of. You name it, he did it. Skiing, Flying, Scuba Diving, Paragliding, Windsurfing, Golfing and what would be the centre of his universe for so many years; Skydiving. The sport that brought the most smiles to his face. So, what better way to honour my dad than falling out of the sky! 

Blood Cancer is a term that did not enter my life until many years past his diagnosis in 2013. They are two words that are enough to scare you off ever mentioning them. Raising money for this charity is really important to me, due to the unpredictable nature and lack of knowledge anyone has around the subject. There are hundreds of types and thousands of different experiences with blood cancer, that even the professionals cannot answer all the questions you might have. The unknown was incredibly scary for my Dad but also my family and I, not knowing what was next or what would happen. There is so much research yet to be done and so many questions yet to be answered, that giving another family the chance of answers in the future would be the most heartwarming positive I can take from our situation. 

I will be jumping in Durham on 7th May, close to my Dad’s 67th birthday, with a huge smile on my face and a pint waiting for me at the bottom, ready to raise a glass to the most incredible man.

Any donations would be so greatly appreciated, as we have the power to start changing the future of someone else’s blood cancer story. 

See you in the sky Dad x