This year’s abseil will be a family affair as heart hero Danny has roped his mum Gillian into daring the drop yet again to raise money for CHSF!
After Gillian’s jump out of a plane and the pair taking part in our abseil in 2019, Danny and his mum tell us a bit more about what inspires them both to keep supporting our charity…
Danny was born with a hole in his heart. This was monitored with no action needed until he was 11 when it was decided that the hole should be closed.
Danny had his first open heart surgery in 2015. Further investigations revealed his aortic valve wasn’t coping with the new pressures in his heart and the decision was made to replace the valve.
In 2016, just 15 months after his first operation, Danny had a mechanical valve fitted. It was during this time that Danny’s family became more aware of all the work Children’s Heart Surgery Fund does.
Danny’s mum Gillian said:
From seeing all the stickers on much of the medical equipment in both PICU and on Ward L51 funded by CHSF, through to the accommodation on site we were allowed to stay in.
There’s also all the support Children’s Heart Surgery Fund give to the heart warriors and their families. They become such a big part of all our lives.
Due to his mechanical valve, Danny is on a blood-thinning medicine called Warfarin for life. This means he needs regular blood tests and Warfarin clinics to ensure he takes the right dose.
CHSF funded an INR testing machine for Danny. With the INR testing machine, Danny can do his blood tests at home and he can ring the results in to the Warfarin Clinic.
Mum, Gillian continues:
I can’t imagine the disruption Danny would have to his life if he had to visit a Warfarin Clinic for blood tests. There are occasions when he needed to test his blood every day.
When asked about his previous fundraising for CHSF, Danny said:
I first started fundraising in 2015. I wrote a letter to my headteacher asking if my school could take part in Wear Red Day and from that I helped organise events at school the next year as well. I’ve taken part in a number of Superhero Walks – dressed as a Surgeon! (Remember not all Superheroes wear capes!)
I’ve done lots of things with CHSF before but never anything like the abseil. I like to take on challenges and couldn’t think of any better reason to do an abseil than to raise money for CHSF. The charity has done so much for me that I want to be able to give something back to them.
It was a bit scary sitting on top of the wall and lowering myself over the side, but I knew I was safely secured. Any nerves disappeared as I started abseiling down the building. It was an amazing experience. I enjoyed it so much I’ve signed up for this year too!
Signing up for this year’s abseil is just the latest in a long line of fundraising feats this family have taken on for CHSF. Mum Gillian continues…
“I’d already done a skydive for CHSF and was looking for the next challenge. I’m not a runner so thought an abseil was perfect!
I was so nervous as we got up to the roof of the building but having everyone around you all there for the same reason the nerves soon disappeared. The camaraderie was fantastic. And the views were amazing!
Plus, knowing we were doing it to raise money for this fantastic charity that saved my son’s life made it all the better!”
Be brave and join Danny and Gillian for the first CHSF abseil in almost four years.
You’ll climb the dizzying heights of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Harrogate, at an amazing 140ft. Then take a leap of faith as you abseil down to meet your friends and family.
Sunday 4th June
£15pp
Grant’s Jump for Joseph
CHSF supporter Grant Houldsworth is dad to heart hero Joseph, and is taking part in our 15,000ft Skydive to thank "all the people who played a part in saving my son’s life". When Joseph was a week old, the family found out he had Coarctation of the Aorta and two...
Luca’s Story
When Luca was born, mum Emma and dad Michael discovered Luca had a very loud heart murmur. The day after, they were transferred from Jimmy’s to the Leeds Children’s Hospital for a heart scan. It was then when they received the congenital heart disease (CHD) diagnosis...
Running for a Reason: Louise
Bradford-based adult patient Louise McCormick received open heart surgery aged 7 at Killingbeck Hospital. Now 41, Louise celebrated her 40th year by completing an enviable set of running fundraisers for CHSF in 2024. She isn’t taking her foot of the pedal this year...