Skydive mum from Thurso hands over £14.5k to children's hospital
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A Thurso mother has handed over more than £14,500 to a charity hospital which treated her daughter who has chronic kidney disease.
Susan Andrew said she was astounded at the amount she raised from a charity skydive, which featured on the front page of the John O'Groat Journal last month.
The 39-year-old primary school supply teacher did the jump at the St Andrews airfield in Glenrothes for the Glasgow Children's Hospital.
Her seven-year-old daughter Lois had an operation there in March and also spent six weeks in the hospital last summer.
The mum and daughter handed over a cheque to Lucy Ritchie from the charity during a visit to the hospital for an appointment this week.
Susan said: "I was absolutely astounded to have raised so much! I went in with £500 as initial target and have just been blown away by the generosity of friends and family as well as acquaintances – and even complete strangers!
"It was great to make it official with the presentation and to be able to talk to some of the members of the charity."
Susan, who has previously abseiled, done a run and a canoe trip for charity, made the tandem jump from 10,000 feet with a qualified instructor and was falling at 120mph through the air. She said the fundraiser was "a small way of saying thank you and to help others have the quality of care and support we received."
She told the Groat after the skydive that it was an amazing experience and that she "would do 100 skydives if it meant Lois didn’t have to have her kidney issues or have any operations".
She added: "Often when we are in the hospital, we’ve seen families where this is their normal life. Children who talk to the doctors and nurses as family as they’ve been in so often and may be on their 10th operation or those who might have to come in weekly for dialysis. I love that I know exactly where this money is going and how it will help the children and their families – families who just want to see their children healthy and happy."
Susan stays in Thurso with her husband, Stuart, and two children, Ethan (11) and Lois.
