The sky's the limit for grandpa (From Warrington Guardian)

The sky's the limit for grandpa

9:57am Friday 5th February 2010

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A STUDENT is diving out of a plane 10,000ft in the air in memory of a granddad who was her ‘best friend’.

Katie Malcolm, aged 21, is doing the skydive to raise money for kidney research after her grandpa lost a six-month battle with kidney disease.

She will be joined in the daring fundraiser by friend and fellow student at the Univeristy of Chester Padgate campus, Jess Cleary.

The idea first came up on a ‘drunken night out’, but Katie embraced the plan as she wanted to do ‘something happy’ to remember her grandpa.

She said: “He was the sort of person that would give his last pennies away to someone if they needed it.

“We decided to do a skydive because it needed to be an idea that people would like and be willing to give money for.”

The girls will receive only 40 minutes training before taking the giant leap on April 24 and 22-year-old Jess, a media student, is feeling a bit ‘nervous’ She said: “I’m doing this for Katie but if I think about it too much I start getting nervous.”

Katie, who is a business student at the Crab Lane campus, is using memories of her grandpa to fight off any last minute doubts.

“He might tell me I’m being stupid and not to jump out of plane, but I think he would be proud of me really,” she said.

Katie and Jess are offering anyone who donates money to the skydive appeal a chance to win tickets to the match between Warrington Wolves and Catalan Dragons on April 25. They have already raised £500 but hope to double that.

To sponsor the girls visit kidneyresearchukevents.org/padgatejump.

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