Local fundraiser takes leap with family
An 18-year-old from Gateshead who has spent years raising money for children’s cancer charity Young Lives vs Cancer completed a skydive on Saturday 1 August, taking the latest bold step in a campaign that has already raised more than £230,000.
The jumper, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour as a baby, was joined in the tandem jump by his 70-year-old nana Elaine and a small group including a fellow fundraiser, Neil Mills. The event was intended both as a personal milestone – it followed the youngster’s 18th birthday in July – and as a push towards an ambitious target of £250,000 for the charity.
Long-term campaigning after early treatment
The family say they were supported by Young Lives vs Cancer during the boy’s treatment as an infant. Since then he has undergone seven rounds of chemotherapy, received proton therapy and is currently registered blind. Despite serious health setbacks, the teenager has been a persistent fundraiser over many years.
- Events have included appearances in the Mini and Junior Great North Run.
- He has organised tombolas, raffles, bake sales and family fun days.
- He has also taken on personal endurance and memory challenges to boost donations.
Those efforts have seen the total donated to date exceed £230,000. The skydive was billed as an opportunity to add the final sums needed to reach an “unbelievable” £250,000 milestone.
"I want to raise money for Young Lives vs Cancer because they helped my family when I was a baby and I want to give back to other young people who aren't as lucky as I am," the Gateshead fundraiser said. "I am a thrill seeker, and I've done a zip wire and I love rollercoasters, so this felt like the perfect next challenge. It was amazing to do the skydive alongside my nana and everyone else taking part, and it was an experience I'll never forget."
Support from other fundraisers
The skydive group also included Neil Mills, a fundraiser from Leighton Buzzard whose own recent efforts have attracted attention. Mills previously ran a series of extreme events that culminated in covering 950 miles, raising more than £26,000 for the same charity.
Organisers and family members framed the jump as more than a stunt: it has been a visible demonstration of long-term community solidarity with families affected by childhood cancer, and of the ways small towns and neighbourhoods in the North East rally around local causes.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Amount raised to date | £230,000+ |
| Target following skydive | £250,000 |
| Age of fundraiser | 18 |
| Age of nana | 70 |
| Neil Mills fundraising total | £26,000+ |
The story has struck a chord locally. For many readers in Gateshead, it will resonate as an example of how a family shaped by early medical crisis channels experience into practical support for other young people and their families across the country.
Local charities frequently rely on sustained, grassroots fundraising such as this: events organised by families, repeated personal challenges and community-run stalls and raffles. Those who follow the fundraiser’s page or attend local events will be watching to see if the skydive pushes the total beyond the £250,000 mark.
While the physical risks of a skydive are emphasised in headlines, the more enduring aspect of this story is the patience and persistence behind the figures – years of small events and larger challenges which, together, produce a sizeable sum for a charity that once supported the family itself. That reciprocity is the central note: someone helped this family when they needed it, and now they are determined to help others in turn.
