Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
SKY’S THE LIMIT
Skydive mum raises hundreds
A brave Airdrie mum conquered an 8000-foot skydive to raise funds for the hospital which has treated her baby son since birth.
Chelsea Downing has so far raised £700 for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity after successfully completing the tandem jump, which she described as “amazing” and “serene”.
Her 18-month old son Couper was born with gastroschisis, which sees the intestines develop outside the body and for which he underwent surgery when he was just hours old. Her challenge was inspired by the “got guts” slogan associated the condition.
Whinhall resident Chelsea said: “The hospital is just brilliant – the staff there saved Couper’s life and gave him the most amazing care, and supported my husband Joe and I.
“Couper was born with a hole in his heart and with his intestines outside his body and had to be sent for an operation straight away. He was then on a ventilator, and had sepsis.
“He spent a month in hospital. He was born prematurely and got out of hospital before his original due date last February, and then we went into lockdown the next month.
“I wanted to do something to give back to the hospital and also to raise awareness of gastroschisis – the slogan which goes along with it is ‘this kid’s got guts’, so I chose to do this to show that Couper’s mum has guts too!”
Chelsea described her skydive, which she completed at an airfield in Glenrothes, as “amazing.”
She said:“there was an hour’s training when I got there in the morning. Then my skydive was originally scheduled for 5.20pm but it was eventually brought forward by a couple of hours that afternoon so I didn’t have quite so long to wait.
“I wasn’t too nervous, more excited – the instructor was lovely and really reassuring, and the only point where it was a bit nerve-wracking was where you’re getting into position with your legs dangling over the edge at the plane door!
“Before you know it you’re ready to go and the freefall was the most serene experience I’ve ever felt.
“It’s so silent and you feel like you’re on your own, and I was just so in awe looking down at the amazing views. It feels like a lifetime and that you could sit there for days.”
With sponsorship money still being donated both via her fundraising webpage and offline, Chelsea now plans to stage further fundraisers in future years to show her continued appreciation for the medics who continue to look after Couper.
She said: “He’s doing amazingly, running about and pulling things over! We can’t believe how well he’s done.
“Couper still has regular visits to the hospital and they’ll be keeping an eye on his heart over the next few years, and everyone at the hospital is so helpful.
“I’m going to try to do something to raise money every year – although I don’t know how to top a skydive! I just can’t explain how great they’ve been.”