Whanganui’s Eleanor Kendrick celebrates 80th birthday with Jump For Cancer skydive

Those were the words of Whanganui resident Eleanor Kendrick, who celebrated her 80th birthday differently.

Cancer Society’s Jump For Cancer campaign partners with skydiving companies to book free jumps for anyone who reaches a $1000 fundraising goal.

Kendrick came across the campaign about two years ago when she bumped into two women wearing “I jumped for cancer” t-shirts at a vintage car rally fundraiser for Cancer Society.

Kendrick had dreamed of skydiving for almost 20 years, after plans to skydive for her 60th birthday were foiled by a broken ankle.

Having the opportunity to raise funds for cancer made it more perfect.

Her husband survived prostate cancer and they have both volunteered at the Cancer Society Central District for several years.

She joined after retiring as a taxi driver, deciding on a whim to go into the nearby Cancer Society office to offer her help.

Kendrick set her fundraising goal and after about 13 months, and losing 20kg to be eligible for tandem skydiving, was ready to jump.

She exceeded her goal, raising more than $1200 on her Jump For Cancer campaign page.

Jump For Cancer participants can choose to jump in any region there is a partner company.

“It was cloudless, blue skies, clear mountains, clear lakes. Mt Cook just looked majestic.”

She was partnered with Skydive Mt Cook tandem master Lucian Sima, who said “she was a pretty lovely lady” and he was happy he met her.

“It’s nice to see people at that age so willing and so excited to jump.”

“I’m happy that there are people like this, and I wish [there] would be more people like this to try to bring something good to the world. It’s a terrible disease to have.

“More people should do these things. And I think Eleanor is a brave woman to embrace that, to bring a contribution to the society, and also have fun in the meantime.”

The plane rose to nearly 4000m above Lake Pūkaki and the snowy mountains, with oxygen masks needed for the final 900m.

“She went out backwards and we followed her, like, ‘three, two, one’ and we’re gone.

Falling through the chilly air, it felt “surreal” but “exhilarating”, she said.

“I put my hand over my mouth. My son thought I was wanting to be sick. But no, it was because it was so cold in the free fall.”

Despite the “brain freeze”, her adrenaline was so high she barely felt the cold, she said.

Sima pulled their parachute cord and they floated safely to the ground.

“When I stood up again and took my harness and what have you off, all I wanted to do was lie down and sleep.

After three days of wanting “to fall asleep all the time”, the reality that she had done the jump finally sank in, she said.

“And now when I look back ... I’m excited that I’ve done it.”

She was unsure if she would do it again but “it was just amazing”.

Her recommendation to anyone considering Jump For Cancer was to “go for it”.

“You only live once. And age is no barrier. And cancer is a good cause for it.”