When University of Cumbria senior sports lecturer Dr Mark Christie steps out of a plane at around 15,000 feet to parachute back to terra firma later this summer the air temperature will be around minus 15 Celcius.
The fact he’ll only be clad in a pair of swimming trunks during the tandem dive would probably put most people off the attempt.
The parachute jump is just the latest activity Dr Christie has undertaken to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
“While others do conventional parachute jumps we had to do something different!” Mark said.
The academic has had five academic papers published examining different aspects of open water swimming and was joined by fellow fund-raiser Mithil Shah from Edinburgh earlier this summer.
The pair swam across Ullswater to raise money for the charity although the fact the attempt went ahead at all is down to Mark’s perseverance. In March Mark broke his left arm while cycling in Scotland yet overcame injury to be fit for the challenges he’s set himself for 2024.
“We’re super thrilled to be raising vital funds for Cancer Research UK – and, just as importantly, some of the charity’s work involves supporting bereaved families through the grief process which we have both sadly experienced in the very recent past,” Mark said.
“Cancer is still an incredibly difficult disease to beat and whilst screening for cancers of all types is improving rapidly, there are still many issues to solve both in terms of early identification and effective treatment.
“Every pound raised will help health practitioners and scientists in their search for more effective treatments and preventive approaches.”
Mark’s parachute jump in Budgy Smugglers at 15,000ft will be a UK first – only one other person has done it in the UK but at 14,000ft.
Why budgies? “Bereavement – especially when it happens so quickly, as with our mums – literally strips you to your emotional core: grief, bewilderment, loss, sadness, loneliness, anxiety, confusion, to name a few emotions,” Mark said.
And as for the reaction from his friends and family to his fundraising exploits? ”They’re getting used to me getting involved in activities like this to raise money for a great cause,” he said.
