A woman from Barrow-in-Furness will be taking part in a tandem parachute jump to raise vital funds for Epilepsy Action, the UK’s largest member-led epilepsy charity.
Sharon Ayling, a member of the South Cumbria Branch of Epilepsy Action, will attempt the ‘once in a life time’ experience on Saturday 8 August at Grange-over-Sands Airfield. Sharon will jump from a height of 10,000 feet and will free-fall at 120mph, to help support the 456,000 people living with epilepsy in the UK.
Sharon, who has ME and diabetes, is completing the sky dive to celebrate her fiftieth birthday, which was in January of this year. She is hoping to raise £2,000. The money raised will be split between the South Cumbria Branch of Epilepsy Action and Furness Carers.
Sharon said: "These causes are close to my heart and I feel they are often neglected by fundraisers. I'm really excited to be doing this challenge and hope I can raise as much money as possible for Epilepsy Action and Furness Carers."
Cliff Challenger, regional services manager for north England at Epilepsy Action, said: "It's fantastic that Sharon is taking on this challenge for Epilepsy Action. The money raised will help provide advice and support to people affected by epilepsy across Cumbria. Last year alone Epilepsy Action directly helped 685,500 people through a range of services, thanks to people like Sharon."
To show your support for Sharon and Epilepsy Action, please visit Sharon's web page at www.skydive.orgfree.com
Epilepsy Action has an extensive network of branches throughout the UK. The branches hold regular meetings and offer a variety of social events, informative talks and discussions relating to epilepsy. The meetings offer the opportunity for people to share their experiences of living with epilepsy and also raise awareness of the condition in the local community.
For more information about the South Cumbria Branch, please contact Cliff Challenger, regional services manager for north England, on 01274 640 064 or email cchallenger@epilepsy.org.uk For more information about Epilepsy Action, visit www.epilepsy.org.uk