These three brave Doncaster people are to jump thousands of feet through the air for charity

Three people are to leap thousands of feet through the air, or have already done so, to raise as much as they can for Sheffield charities.
Rochelle Barrand
By Rochelle Barrand
Published 28th Mar 2019, 16:32 BST
Updated 4th Apr 2019, 12:02 BST
Rachel Oldroyd, (pictured), will be taking on a skydive to raise funds for Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Staff the hospital looked after her son Elliott, (pictured), when he suffered third degree burns, aged just three-months-old in 2013. He was at his grandmother’s house when a kettle was accidentally knocked over, burning his leg. Rachel's partner Paul, (pictured), will also take on the jump. Rachel Oldroyd, (pictured), will be taking on a skydive to raise funds for Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Staff the hospital looked after her son Elliott, (pictured), when he suffered third degree burns, aged just three-months-old in 2013. He was at his grandmother’s house when a kettle was accidentally knocked over, burning his leg. Rachel's partner Paul, (pictured), will also take on the jump.
Rachel Oldroyd, (pictured), will be taking on a skydive to raise funds for Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Staff the hospital looked after her son Elliott, (pictured), when he suffered third degree burns, aged just three-months-old in 2013. He was at his grandmother’s house when a kettle was accidentally knocked over, burning his leg. Rachel's partner Paul, (pictured), will also take on the jump.

Christopher Challenger, aged 26, will be doing a skydive for Sheffield Hospitals Charity to thank haematology staff for caring for his uncle.

He lost his grandad to cancer last year, before finding out his uncle had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma - an uncommon form of cancer affecting vessels and glands throughout the body.

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Christopher said: “I’m doing this skydive as I wanted to give something back to the NHS for the amazing care and treatment provided for him. Nothing has been too much trouble.

“His consultants have provided care and compassion, explaining each procedure, and all of the staff on the wards have been unbelievable keeping spirits high with true dedication.

“But also not to forget the strength, determination and fight my uncle has had throughout this.

“He has faced this head on without a second thought. He is a true inspiration and will overcome this.”

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Rachel Oldroyd, aged 29, will also be taking on a leap in a separate event to raise funds for the same charity.

Staff the hospital looked after her son Elliott when he suffered third degree burns, aged just three-months-old in 2013. He was at his grandmother’s house when a kettle was accidentally knocked over, burning his leg.

His family rushed him to their local hospital in Barnsley, when he was immediately transferred to the Burns Unit at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Surgeons there performed a skin graft.

Rachel said: “We were told it was going to get worse before it got better, but you can’t even tell he has been burned now. The graft is amazing, he doesn’t even notice it half the time.”

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To thank the staff, the family have been raising money for the hospital ever since. Soon, Rachel, her partner Paul and a family friend, Simon, will take on a tandem jump from 15,000ft with the hope of raising even more money.

Meanwhile, five times world champion kickboxer Christian Di Paolo has already braved his skydive, alongside a group of other Thai boxing champions, to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Christopher will take on his skydive on April 26. You can donate to him by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Chris-Challenger.

Rachel, Paul and Simon will do their skydive on April 28. You can donate at SeptSkydive.everydayhero.com/uk/rachelpaul.

You can still donate to Christian and his team by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/christian-di-paolo.

Visit www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk and www.musculardystrophyuk.org.