Take it to the skies

Coronary heart disease is the world's biggest killer and in the UK alone one person dies from a heart attack every three minutes. The need to help has never been greater, and the opportunities to do something have never so been varied or exciting

By British Heart Foundation
Published 1 Jun 2017, 12:26 BST, Updated 8 Jul 2021, 15:23 BST
Rebecca's British Heart Foundation skydive

The British Heart Foundation has taken fundraising to the next level. What better way to push your body to its limit, conquer your fears, and help beat this debilitating disease than by taking it to the skies; hurling yourself out of a plane, 10,000ft above the ground.

Plummeting towards the patchwork quilt of fields spread out beneath you, falling at 130mph, you'll suddenly wonder why you bother with bake sales when there's the chance to do so much more — to go so much bigger. The thrill of a skydive will last a lifetime, and the money you raise will fund life changing research.

Rebecca set herself the challenge of skydiving for her dad. She can't remember a time when he didn't have heart problems, and a couple of years ago her uncle also developed a heart condition. The British Heart Foundation has pioneered research into heart disease for 50 years, and has been at the forefront of the discovery of vital treatments. It's these treatments that help ensure Rebecca's family remains whole and healthy. Here's her story.

 

Rebecca's Story

"My dad has had heart problems since I was 12 years old."

The British Heart Foundation is a charity whose work is very close to home. My Dad has had recurring angina attacks for years, a heart attack, and over the past few years he's been in and out of hospital having stent operations. Furthermore, over the past couple of years my uncle Michael has been bravely battling a heart condition. The technology that's been used to help the pair of them wouldn't be possible without research from the British Heart Foundation.

The Jump

"Finally, at 11am I heard over the tannoy — 'let's do this'"

Rebecca raised over £1,000 for the charity, landing her skydive in the same airfield where her uncle learnt to parachute 20 years ago. Take your fundraising to the next level and experience the thrill of a skydive. The money you raise saves lives.

Visit bhf.org.uk/heartflyers for more information.

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