Tuam man jumps 13,000 feet for children’s hospital

“I TOOK a leap of faith, to honour the courage of the children who fight the battle for health and life at various hospitals.”

Those were the words of Charles Ward, a man who jumped from a plane at a height of 13,000 feet on Monday May 4 in a bid to raise funds for the Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), Temple Street.

As a father of three, Charles witnessed first hand the dedication of the doctors, nurses and staff working at CHI when his daughter was receiving treatment for inflammation in her nervous system.

“In the time that we spent there, I witnessed not just the incredible service from the staff but also the bravery and positivity of the children who were receiving treatment,” Charles told The Tuam Herald.

To show his gratitude towards the doctors and staff at CHI, he decided to not just raise funds but to take on a challenge that scared him, a challenge that he had to overcome, like children in hospitals overcome the fear of sickness and pain.

He went skydiving with the Irish Parachute Club in County Offaly and took a leap from 13,000 feet above the ground.

“It was both exciting and scary at the same time. I named the challenge ‘Leap of Faith’ as it was all about overcoming fear and keeping your faith,” offered Charles.

“Children and their parents at CHI and other hospitals often get news that is life-changing and not always good, but no matter what happens they stay strong and keep fighting."

Charles has successfully raised €5,000 for CHI by competing the skydiving challenge and is thankful to everyone who supported him in different ways to complete the fundraiser.