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2005 November 11 - Parents of liver disease girl inspired to jump 10,000ft for charity

A couple are taking to the skies on 3rd December to participate in a freefall parachute jump to raise funds for the charity which offered vital support when their daughter was diagnosed with a life-threatening liver disease. 

Sarah and Dave Hobbs from Pendle Avenue, Kettering, are jumping to raise funds for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF), the only organisation in the UK fighting to stamp out childhood liver disease. 

The charity offered vital support when their daughter Lily was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a disease in which the bile ducts become progressively blocked leading to irreversible liver damaged, at just five weeks old.

Lily, now aged seven months, underwent a corrective operation called a kasai at seven weeks old and has not yet required a liver transplant, although this may be required in the future.

Mother Sarah explains, “When Lily was diagnosed with bilary atresia we were devastated, we thought our daughter might die and it felt as though our world had fallen apart.  CLDF provided vital information and advice, and someone to listen who understood what we were going through”. 

“Now that Lily is doing well, we want to raise funds to help ensure that CLDF can continue its vital work.  Few people realise that two children are diagnosed with a liver disease each day, that’s greater than the incidence of childhood leukaemia, so there are many families in need of support”.

David adds, “We are both quite nervous but I am sure it will be a great experience, although I might make Sarah jump first!”

The jump, which takes place at Hinton Skydive Centre in Northamptonshire, will see Sarah and David free-falling 5,000ft at speeds of 120mph, before riding their parachutes down to the dropzone.  The couple hope to raise £1000 for CLDF through the jump.

Catherine Arkley, Chief Executive of the Foundation, said: "We are extremely grateful to the Hobbs’ for deciding to do a parachute jump on the Foundations behalf.  Fundraising of this nature is so vital to us, helping ensure that we can fund new research projects, educate more healthcare professionals and support more families”.  

If you would like to sponsor Sarah and David, please contact them on 01536 510313 or contact Rachel Markham at the Children's Liver Disease Foundation on 0121 212 6012.

For further information on the work of the Foundation, please visit www.childliverdisease.org or call 0121 212 3839 for a fundraising and information pack.

Ends

For further information on this story please contact Rachel Markham,
Children’s Liver Disease Foundation on 0121 212 6012, e-mail: communications@childliverdisease.org

Note to editors:

The Children’s Liver Disease Foundation is a unique national charity that fights childhood liver diseases through funding pioneering research and educating healthcare professionals and the general public. Formed in 1980, it provides professional, emotional support to families affected and is the only organisation of its kind in the UK.