30 Sep 2022 Community

Symone remembers her dad Simon whilst Skydiving for The Kirkwood

Symone-Marie Chadwick, 27, from Birstall took on our Skydive challenge last year to help the charity which were caring for her father, Simon. This is her story. 

Having been diagnosed with cancer in February 2021, 54 year-old Simon Chadwick, tragically died just a few days before his daughter, Symone, was due to jump from 15,000ft. This devastating news made the Skydive even more poignant and emotional for Symone.  

Having signed up at the last minute, Symone said the Skydive made her feel alive at a time when her world stood still in the aftermath of her dad's diagnosis. The Kirkwood were there to support Simon and the whole family at a time they needed us most.  

Symone said: "I wanted to do the Skydive to give something back to The Kirkwood and their teams. They are a fantastic charity that helps local families during the toughest times.  

“I also wanted to do something that made me feel alive at a time when my world had stood still. 

"My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in February 2021, which slowly spread to his brain and other areas. The Kirkwood helped us during a time when we were struggling to help ourselves and gave us a home from home. Although any time spent at the site in Dalton isn’t desired by anyone, they make the most dreadful days seem somehow bearable.  

"Having a service so personable and supportive is crucial to families just like mine. Without them I don’t know how we would have coped. Although you want to do everything for your loved ones, sometimes we all need a little help especially when we’re running on empty. They will forever be a charity close to my heart and I will always support them in any way I can." 

On whether Symone was scared in the moments before jumping out of a plane thousands of feet high in the air and then plummeting to the ground, she said: "It was a surreal experience. It was perfect weather that day. I remember the sun shining so brightly and all my family and friends being there. I was just so grateful to be here, alive and well and been able to do such things.  

"I think this overpowered the nerves. The staff were great and encouraging too. People were constantly landing attached to their parachutes which also helped as it was a nice reminder that people do this all day every day and there’s not very much to be scared of. If you just breathe and quieten your doubt and inner voice it’s actually such a fun and exhilarating experience. If I could describe it in any way, it would be inspiring."  

Symone and her dad talked lots in the run up to her skydive challenge, and she was excited to show him the video footage after safely landing back on solid ground. Sadly, she wasn't able to do this.  

"I booked the skydive a few weeks before the planned date with The Kirkwood. I was lucky to get a last minute sign up and fundraising page. I’d planned it with my dad and it was something we spoke about daily. It gave us something to focus on. Everyday I'd update him on how much we’d raised. He’d tell me how crazy he thought I was and we’d laugh about it.  

"We reached around £800 in the first few hours and he didn’t believe me. I booked the video package so I could take it home to show him as he wasn’t well enough to travel at this point. Unfortunately he sadly lost his battle just a few days before my skydive.  

“Dad’s death made it so much more emotional. Some people didn’t think I’d be doing it but I knew if he was here he’d go mad if I backed out  – no matter what had happened.  

"Although it made it more emotional, a part of me was looking forward to being closer to him whilst up there. The skydive was just one of many things we wrote on our bucket list that I’ll continue to work through for years to come."  

Symone is a passionate about the care The Kirkwood offers and urges anyone who is struggling with a life limiting illness to get in touch.  

She said: "Please don’t be scared about contacting The Kirkwood. They’re so kind and warm and welcoming. I couldn’t have done it without them. There are many ways to contact them, whether that’s over the phone, email or even just popping in. What seems like a huge request or silly to you is never too much of a bother to The Kirkwood. I’ll never forget how at ease they made me feel from the very start to the very end."  

Finally Symone wanted to say a huge thanks to all that have been involved with her from The Kirkwood.  

She said: "Thank you to everyone from The Kirkwood that helped looked after Dad and my family during this time. For the after care and the support and for just making us feel like nothing was too much.  

"For anyone who is supporting a loved one through an illness, please remember to take care of yourself too. Accept the support available to you and don’t hesitate to reach out."