High-altitude dive for cancer
Clockwise from left: Darren Steer, Jacques Doman, Andrew Thompson and Tom Millar prepare for their fundraising skydive. Photo: Chris Symes/Shuttersport.
It was minus 27 degrees celsius at 18,000 feet as 80-year-old Tom Millar was launched from the plane above Motueka, giving him a high-altitude buzz and helping his team raise more than $5,000 for the Cancer Society.
Tom teamed up with fellow Summerset in the Sun retirement village resident, 81-year-old Andrew Thompson, along with staff members Darren Steer and Jacques Doman for their tandem skydiving experience last weekend to the cheers and applause from a crowd of Summerset supporters.
For Tom, it was the second time he had skydived after jumping out of a plane for his 70th birthday, while for the other three it was their first time and a chance to tick it off their bucket list while fundraising for a good cause.
The four raised about $5,500 through raffles, online donations and further donations from Summerset residents for a cause that was close to their hearts.
Tom lost his wife to cancer in recent years, his father was taken by the disease at the age of just 28, and his daughter is now fighting cancer.
“There wouldn’t be a single person who doesn’t know someone with cancer. The reason I jumped was because I wanted to do it myself, but it was also a chance to raise money for the Cancer Society.”
Before Summerset staff member Darren’s grandfather died from cancer a couple of months ago, he had encouraged family members to donate to other cancer fundraisers, so the fundraising skydive was timely.
He also lost an uncle to cancer at just 41 years old, which further motivated him to tick skydiving off his bucket list now, as well as raise money for the cause.
Jacques says cancer does not just affect those with cancer, but also those people around them and that was his motivation – as well as ticking it off his bucket list. He was in the military in South Africa and missed out on the skydiving training due to a shoulder injury, so since then he has been keen to give it a go.
He is now contemplating a skydiving course so he can go back up into the sky for more jumps.
The fundraising idea was mooted when the four realised they all wanted to skydive and Summerset resident Betty Van Rooyen, who is a cancer survivor and a volunteer for the Cancer Society, organised the fundraising.
She had previously tandem skydived as a fundraiser for the society when she was 81.
Darren says there were no nerves on the day which was a perfect winter’s day without a cloud in the sky.
“There’s just a few seconds for you to come to terms with the fact you’re leaping out of a plane. Then you smile and get teeth freeze.”