A staff nurse from Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital challenged herself to take part in a Miami skydive and raised £2,500 for the British Heart Foundation, beating her initial target.
Maria Gratton – Heatley’s fundraising page also received an acknowledgement from JustGiving as one of the most successful pages in February, achieving the top 3 per cent of fundraisers.
Maria Gratton – Heatley, 26, is a staff nurse in the cardiology department of Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital. Maria flew to Miami, Florida where she participated in her first skydive as a way of raising money for charity and to accomplish her New Year’s resolution.
In January this year, Maria set herself a goal of raising money for the British Heart Foundation. As a cardiology nurse Maria comes into contact with people who suffer from heart related issues on a daily basis, but she was particularly affected when she heard best friend’s father suddenly passed away from a heart condition last year, at the age of 51. Maria’s mother was also diagnosed with left heart block a few years ago, and she attends cardiac rehabilitation on a regular basis.
Maria Gratton – Heatley, said: “The skydive was an amazing experience and I enjoyed every second of it but I was even more excited to have raised such a large sum for the British Heart Foundation. It was scary when you first dangle your legs out of the plane but it was so worth it and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a challenge.
“My best friend’s father’s passing was a complete shock to us all, and is that main reason why I sought out an experience to fundraise for this fantastic charity. I was thrilled when I first found out the total as I beat my initial target. All the money raised will be going to the British Heart Foundation, a charity very close to my heart.”
You can still donate to this cause by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/skippingaheartbeatforbhf
For more information about Nuffield Health facilities please visit: https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/.