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Sarah’s Sky Dive – 2023

In 2020 I was all ready to jump out of a plane to raise money for Cancer Research and the British Lung Foundation. My target then was £5000 the aim based on £100 for every year I have been in remission and in 2020 I celebrated my 10 year “survival anniversary”. This year will be my 13th. Lucky 13 hopefully! Unfortunately due to covid the jump got cancelled – however, I had already raised a whopping £4316.00, which came, gratefully from some of you guys out there! The Virgin Money giving platform where I was raising the money closed in 2021. So, to raise that extra £684.00 I have set up this new fund raising page on just giving.

My Story

In June 2010 I was diagnosed with late stage Lung cancer. The cancer had spread to several of my lymph nodes in my chest and neck. My prognosis was poor. I thought surely this is a cancer that only those of 70+ get ? I was only in my 40’s. I had a 10% chance of living for 6 months and less than a 5% of surviving 5 years. Being me, I didn’t feel sorry for myself, I didn’t think “why me ?” I just took the stance that with two children under 14 I had to do whatever I could to at least get to the 5 year “mark”. Why couldn’t I be one of those in the 5% ? even if I had a 1% chance somebody has to be that one person in a hundred that makes it ! I knew that if I reached 5 years my daughter would be 18 and thus be able to support my youngest child. So, I literally threw everything at it!

I decided with my oncologist and surgeon that I would take the risk of trying a relatively new chemotherapy to be added to the already prescribed “heavy duty “ cocktail of chemotherapy drugs and was treated over several months, until I underwent a 9 hour operation. My surgeon, a renowned consultant at The Royal Brompton in London was astounded at the results and what he found. There was no evidence of the cancer! I then continued the chemotherapy treatment until the January of 2011 as a “belt and braces” approach just in case there were any sneaky nasty cells still floating about.

You may be wondering why I am telling you this ? Well, here goes. Next week on 21st April I shall be sky diving out of an aeroplane to raise money for Cancer Research and The British Lung Foundation. My target is £5000, the aim based on £100 for every year I have been in remission and this year I celebrate my 10 year “survival anniversary”. So, yes, I am asking you please for your support and to sponsor me. I really understand that 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone and the last thing you may want to do is put your hand in your pocket for yet another charity donation request. But in 2020 Cancer research alone lost over £44M of funding due to Covid-19. I know I can also presume that everyone reading this has been affected by cancer in some way. Fundamentally, if it wasn’t for Cancer Research, I wouldn’t be here today writing this. I would not have seen both my children go through university and passing with flying colours or to thank all of those dear friends who were there for me too.

So, even if it is the cost of a pint of beer or a glass of wine I really would appreciate any donations that you can give. I am paying for the actual training and sky-dive personally. I feel it is the least I can do to say thank you to the charities after all they have done and continue to do.

I thank you with all my heart,

Sarah XXX