A daredevil care practitioner has been inspired by her brave dad and nephew to do a charity sky dive.
Pendine Park: Highfield House Care Home Care Practitioner Cat Jones, 20, who is doing a skydiving parachute jump in the New Year for Muscular Dystrophy which her dad and nephew both suffer from.
Cat Jones, 20, who works at the Pendine Park care organisation is Wrexham, will be raising money for Muscular Dystrophy UK.
Both her dad, Phil Jones, and her nephew, Travis, four have the debilitating muscle-wasting condition.
Cat, who lives in Rossett, will be taking to the skies above the Tilstock Airfield in Whitchurch for the tandem parachute jump in March.
She’s also aiming to raise awareness about the hereditary condition which affects around 70,000 people in the UK.
Cat said: “My dad, Phil Jones, has suffered from the condition all his life. It’s a condition that is passed on genetically which is why my sister’s young son, Travis, who is three, also has it.
“My sisters and I are carriers and any male children we have will most likely be affected. Dad isn’t too bad but he does have bad days when he can barely get out of bed.
“Some days are worse than others but he can drive and although he won’t get better, he’s able to manage quite well. However, he also has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as the condition has affected his lungs too.
“My young nephew, Travis is having hydro therapy to try and build his muscle strength up and he’s doing well.”
Cat, who has two sisters, Amber, 30, and Carly, 32, lives with her dad and mum, Julie, says she has the full support of her family in taking on the jump.
She said: “Of course I want to raise as much as I can and my brother-in-law, Adam Kell, who has his own electrical business, Kellectrics, is sponsoring me but it really is about raising awareness of the condition and how it affects sufferers too.
“I’ve never done a parachute jump before and I’m not scared or really nervous just excited. I’ll be jumping in tandem with an instructor from the airfield in Whitchurch.
“There is lots of training I must do and plenty of safety checks and that’s really put me at ease. I don’t see what can really go wrong!”
Cat, a former pupil Darland High School student started at Pendine Park after being sent by the Job Centre for a trial and says she’s found her calling in life.
She said: “I’m a care practitioner at Pendine’s Highfield care home and I just love it, I love everything about the role. When I go home I’m satisfied and know I’ve made a difference to people’s lives, it’s such a fulfilling role.
“I’m intent on doing my Diploma in Social Care and progress my career to level three. I really enjoy working as part of a team and adore working with our residents. I know they appreciate what we do.”
Highfield House enrichment and activities co-ordinator Christine Lewis says Cat quickly became a popular member of the team.
She said: “It was obvious, right from the start that she was perfect for the role. She’s always smiling and residents really enjoy being with her.
“Initially she worked with me and I encouraged her to become a care practitioner and to make a career out of doing something she clearly enjoys and is good at.”
It was a sentiment endorsed by Highfield manager Tracey Smith who added: “We are all right behind her fundraising efforts for Muscular Dystrophy UK and the whole team will be sponsoring her.
“Cat is another brilliant example of how members of the team take on social responsibility and give something back.
“It’s lovely that she is trying to raise awareness of what is an awful condition that affects her dad and nephew while also raising money to support the charity.”
To find out more about Muscular Dystrophy UK please visit www.musculardystrophyuk.org
