It’ll be a stunning Sister Act – when Rachel Birch takes to the skies next month to show how much she loves her little sister, Leanne.
Rachel, a sales director for a turbo manufacturing company, will – weather permitting – be jumping out of an aircraft at 10,000ft on Saturday, 17th August, to support Leanne, who was diagnosed with ME last year.
“Leanne has always been the adventurer – never sitting still, always travelling and exploring,” 42-year-old Rachel wrote on her online fundraising page which has been up set up to help the ME Association.
“Unfortunately, this horrible disease has stopped her doing many of the things she used to love as she just doesn’t have the strength anymore. But not once has she complained, she keeps a smile on her face and does whatever little her body will allow.
“Her positivity truly blows me away. I’m so very proud of her and will do whatever I can to help raise awareness and support for this cruel disease.”
First stop, she says, is a 10,000ft skydive over the Salisbury Skydive Centre on 17th August.
Rachel, from Uxbridge, told us that her 37-year-old sister was never one to sit still, watching TV.
But nowadays, Leanne – who works for a high-powered global accountancy company – is like many others with ME, stuck. “She wants to get out of bed and do things but, if she does, she does she knows she could run out of energy and make the symptoms worse!”
Pictured, from the left: Leanne and her sister Rachel; in fancy dress, this was the scene from Leanne's surprise Halloween-themed engagement party, which actually turned out to be the wedding itself!, and scenes from the family photo album.
On her Instagram, Leanne – @birchy87 – has written: “I am only ‘mild to moderate' on the ME scale and, although nothing about ME feels bloody mild, I have a wonderful support network and an employer who understands, so for the most part I can handle that these are the cards I was dealt with.
“However, I cannot handle that there are thousands out there in pain, unable to move, to hold their loved ones, to do anything that brings them joy. I cannot handle them being left behind because of a lack of medical funding.”
So Rachel has booked herself in for the tandem jump on 17th August, shouted out to friends, family and colleagues and already the money is rolling in. At the time of writing, they had chipped in with donations totalling almost £2,400.
With supporters like Rachel and Leanne, we’ll always be part of the jet-stream searching out answers to the riddle that is ME/CFS. We’ll never rest until we find safe and effective treatments that can help everybody and maybe, one day, we will find that elusive cure!
Thank you, both! If you would like to join their impressive list of supporters, please visit:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/rachel-birch-1721051230449
Tony Britton
Senior Fundraising Consultant, The ME Association
tony.britton@meassociation.org.uk Mob: 07393 805566
