Meet the Spalding woman preparing to throw herself out of a plane for charity
‘Absolutely petrified’ Melanie Dobbs and daredevil friends set to take on skydiving fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis Society
A woman from our region is making final preparations for a daredevil charity undertaking that will see her jump out of a perfectly good aeroplane - at 13,000 feet!
Melanie Dobbs, from Spalding, is taking on an epic skydiving challenge to increase awareness of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and raise funds for the MS Society.
“We are taking part in a Skydive event… for our dear friend Dave Samuels who is now completely paralysed from his chest down,” she said.
MS is a long-lasting (chronic) disease of the central nervous system which causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the brain and nerves.
56-year-old David Samuels has been living with it for nearly three decades, having been first diagnosed with the incurable condition 29 years ago.
“He is now wheelchair bound [and] faces constant challenges everyday in his life,” Melanie explained, “[but] his outlook on life itself is amazing."
Melanie told the Peterborough Telegraph that she would not be making the jump – which will see her plummet 13,000 feet in a matter of minutes – all by herself.
“There are about 17-19 of us jumping,” she said, “and our target is currently ongoing to raise approximately £15,000 for the MS Society.”
David ‘s wife and carer, Danielle Samuels will be among those brave souls making the leap.
Melanie described her pre-jump state-of-mind as “absolutely petrified,” adding “even flying in a normal plane petrifies me!”
“None of us have ever done a skydive,” she said, “but it means so much to us, no matter how scared we all are of heights.”
The jump was originally intended to take place at Sibson Airfield at the end of May. Unfortunately, inclement weather put a dampener on that itinerary.
All being well, the jump will now go ahead on Saturday July 27.
Melanie believes all funds raised by her and her fellow jumpers will do vital good:
“Every penny we raise makes a difference,” she said: “It means we can support people living with the condition to live healthier and happier lives.”
Anyone who like to make a donation to Melanie’s fundraiser can do so by visiting www.gofundme.com/f/mels-skydive-for-multiple-sclerosis