Paula Caley always liked to raise money for children’s charity, but a heart breaking diagnosis within her own family prompted her to take on her scariest challenge yet
Paula Caley with granddaughter Aalia, who was diagnosed with a form of kidney cancer age four(Image: Submitted)
A grandmother from Hull has braved a skydive to give back to the charity who supported her six-year-old granddaughter while undergoing cancer treatment. Paula Caley was inspired to take on this challenge after her granddaughter, Aalia, was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumour, a form of kidney cancer, two years ago when she was four.
Paula said Aalia was just an average, happy four year old, but the family knew something was wrong when she began having problems going to the toilet. Paula said once they were referred from Hull to Leeds Children’s Hospital, she knew the news couldn’t be good.
Paula, 50, said: “After her diagnosis, they put her straight on chemo the next day and from there she went through an horrendous op to get rid of one of her kidneys and part of her other kidney. She’s been going from strength to strength. All she ever did was laugh, she never cried, she was so happy all the time. She’d tell us not to be sad. She’s not been given the all clear but she’s doing amazing. She goes for scans every three months. It will just be one of those things that she’ll have to go through. She’s a little fighter.” The family made frequent trips from Withernsea to Leeds for treatment. Paula said it was a lot to handle for her daughter and son-in-law, who have another daughter who was two at the time.
Paula decided to jump out of the plane to mark her 50th birthday in April. She did the skydive just outside of Bridlington. “The guy I jumped with was amazing,” she said. “He made me feel like I wasn’t scared because he made me feel so relaxed. I’d absolutely do it again. It was so good. The only thing that scared me was the noise when they opened the door of the plane. It was a lot of fun and I got something out of it as well.
“I like to do something to support charity every year. On my 30th birthday, I ran the London Marathon. For my 40th, I took on the Three Peaks Challenge. And this year, to mark my 50th birthday, a skydive for Young Lives vs Cancer seemed like the best way to mark this milestone and give back for the incredible support my family received during the most difficult time of our lives. What they do as a charity is absolutely remarkable. It really does help. Especially as she was so young it helps with everything to be honest.
“No child should have to face such a battle, and no family should have to watch someone they love go through it. Young Lives vs Cancer’s care, guidance, and compassion make a real difference when it’s needed most and the skydive was my way of raising awareness, giving back, and helping ensure that other families receive the same support and hope.”
Paula raised over £700 through the skydive for Young Lives vs Cancer. Aalia received support from a Young Lives vs Cancer specialist social worker, who has been supporting the family from the day she was diagnosed. The social workers provide day-to-day support for each child, young person and family. The charity provides accommodation close to hospitals where families can stay together during treatment for free, and grants to help families navigate the costs of cancer. Young Lives vs Cancer relies on charitable donations to fund their vital work supporting children and young people facing cancer and their families across the UK.
Last year in Yorkshire and the Humber, Young Lives vs Cancer helped over 540 young people with cancer and families get the support they needed. On average, families of a child with cancer pay out £700 extra a month on extra costs during treatment. To help families cope with the costs of cancer, the charity gave out 251 financial grants to the value of £42,291 to young people and families across the region.
Krissa Ford, Young Lives vs Cancer Fundraising Engagement Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical, and it’s felt by the entire family. Our specialist social workers are there to provide tailored support to each child and family.
“We rely on donations to fund our vital work and so we can’t thank Paula enough for their fantastic efforts. Thanks to Paula and everyone who donated, Young Lives vs Cancer will be able to help even more young people with cancer to get the right support when they need it most.”
To support Paula’s fundraising effort go to: www.justgiving.com/page/paula-caley-1
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here .