TWO daredevil care home workers from Warwick have skydived for Parkinson’s UK.
Tracy Barton and Ann-Marie Baker, who both work at Leycester House, took part in the skydive on Saturday (September 16). They raised over £1,075 for Parkinson’s UK after successfully completing the jump at Hinton Sky Diving Centre in Brackley.
Ann-Marie and Tracy both decided to take part in the dive after caring for people with Parkinson’s.
Tracy has worked in care for 25 years and wanted to do something more impactful than a cake sale. Not only has she cared for residents at the home with Parkinson’s but has also seen several people outside of work whose lives have been affected by the disease.
Meanwhile, Ann-Marie has worked in the care sector for over eight years and was motivated to participate in the skydive due to the interactions she has had with resident’s and their families living with the condition. She also wanted to push herself out of her comfort zone while ensuring it would be something other people could benefit from.
Tracy said: “Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, and the second most common neurodegenerative condition after Alzheimer’s. It is such a debilitating condition, leaving people feeling powerless as they notice their abilities being stolen from them bit by bit. If I can play just a small role in supporting the research into the condition, then I will feel that I have helped in some way.”
Ann-Marie Baker added: “Living with Parkinson’s is not only heart-breaking for the individual but also for their relatives as they watch their loved one’s illness slowly progress and reduce their quality of life. There is one resident that melted my heart, he spent many years taking care of his ill wife only to be diagnosed with Parkinsons shortly after losing her. I am sure there are many similar stories to this one and I wanted to support the research for a cure.”
