Parents taking a leap of faith for Bedworth daughter
Feb 10 2012
THE BRAVE parents of an eight-year-old girl with cerebral palsy are set to jump more than 10,000ft out of a plane for charity.
Sophie Sharman was born with the debilitating condition which affects the movement in both arms and legs and causes painful spasms.
She needs 24-hour care and uses a special standing frame to help with her balance but cannot sit upright or walk by herself.
Her parents Natalie Rider and Gary Powell, known as Nat and Gaz, are planning to leap out of a plane to raise cash for Scope, a charity which supports families of children and adults with disabilities.
The couple, both aged 31, hope to raise more than £1,000 from the sponsored tandem skydive on Thursday April 12.
Natalie, a full-time carer for her daughter, from Bedworth, said: “We see day in, day out how difficult it can be sometimes without support. She has a speech impairment and is totally dependant which can be stressful for us and we’re limited to the places where we can go.
“It’s hard to see her in pain every time she moves – we can only help her so much. That’s why the charity is so important to us if we ever needed anything. They help children like our daughter by paying for holidays, providing wheelchair access and respite.
“She might be autistic too – it’s quite upsetting. We’re waiting for the results. We wanted to help the charity and raise awareness of the great work they do. We fancied doing something different – jumping out of a plane came to mind and we just went with it. Gary will have turned 32 on April 7 so it’ll be a nice birthday treat for him too.
“We’re both terrified at the thought of it but it’s all in the name for charity – we’re trying not to think about it too much.
“We’re asking everyone to sponsor us – we don’t mind if it’s a penny or a pound, it all counts for the support of such a great charity.”
To make a donation, call Natalie on 07792 052871. For more information about the charity, log on to www.scope.org.uk
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