A woman from Honiton has raised more than £10,000 by jumping 15,000 ft from a plane to help find a cure for brain tumors after her grandson’s diagnosis.
Joan Roberts took part in a skydive on her 78th birthday on Friday (May 31), at Dunkeswell Aerodrome for the charity Brain Tumour Research was inspired by 13-year-old Jake Green.
Jake’s diagnosis with an inoperable glioma in March last year came about after he developed a tremor in his right hand and was referred for an MRI scan. His family were given the news that Jake had a brain tumour just a day after Joan lost her husband of 30 years, Charles, who had been suffering with Alzheimer’s for 10 years.
Since learning he has a glioma, Jake has undergone radiotherapy and chemotherapy. To sponsor Joan go to www.justgiving.com/page/joan-roberts-1713435892721
Joan said: “It’s heartbreaking to see him having to cope with gruelling treatment. For one week in every four he feels really dreadful. Then he goes back to school the following week and has to catch up on everything he’s missed. Three weeks later the cycle starts all over again.
“It’s so hard to see such a lovely boy suffer like that It made me think about what I could do.
“When I realised that treatments for brain tumours have barely changed for decades, I decided to help by raising funds for research, but I didn’t want to hold a coffee morning or a bake sale.
“I remembered watching the film Carve her Name with Pride as a 10-year-old and thinking how brave the heroine who jumped out of a plane during wartime was. I thought I’d like to do that one day, but never imagined it would actually happen!”
During school half-term, her family gathered to watch and to join in her birthday celebrations, including Joan’s daughter Rose Millard (who also lives in Honiton) and her son Theo, 19.
Joan added: “What an experience, absolutely amazing. The 60 seconds of freefall at 120mph certainly made my ears ache. The gentle descent by parachute was lovely, seeing Devon at its best. Green patchwork fields, isolated farms, Honiton, then out to Chessil Beach, north Devon and the Bristol Channel.
“And then to have my family with me when I did the jump – lots of icing on lots of cakes.
“I am overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of all those who have donated. So many have mentioned my bravery. It was five minutes of sheer excitement mixed with sheer terror, but Jake endures a week of sickness and misery, month after month. Now that’s brave!
“I am delighted to have exceeded my target and, with more than £10,000 on my fundraising page, with donations still coming in, I have enough to sponsor the equivalent of three days of vital research.”
Louise Aubrey, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Joan for her incredible fundraising efforts inspired by Jake, which are helping to make a difference for patients diagnosed with brain tumours.
“Brain Tumour Research is focused on funding research to find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure for all types of brain tumour.”
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