Sisters to skydive to mark anniversary of gutsy Corby woman's death

Two women will leap out of an aeroplane on Monday to mark the one-year anniversary of their sister's death.

Becky Bright from Corby, died aged 30 on May 31 last year after a four-year struggle with heart failure, having originally only been given 12 months to live.

She was looked after by Cransley Hospice before her death and now her sisters, Joanna and Lianne, are taking to the skies to raise money for them as a thank you.

Joanna recalls how Becky, mum to eight-year-old Millie, suddenly and unexpectedly fell ill.

She said: “Becky was at home one morning and knew that she didn’t feel right so she called the ambulance herself.

"At first, they thought it was just a panic attack.

“That night at 11pm I had a call to say that Becky was at Kettering General Hospital, and she’d had an operation to put two stents in her heart. At the hospital, we later found out she had stage four heart failure which meant 75 per cent of her heart was not working as it should. It was a shock to all of us - and little Millie was only three at the time.

“The doctors gave her about a year [to live], but she just took each day as it came.

“At first she didn’t want to go to the hospice as she thought she’d die in there and she was adamant she wanted to die at home.

“The more times she went the more she realised it was safe and they let mum stay with her which made it easier for her. She knew all the nurses and they were so good with Millie. They put her completely at ease, letting her be “the doctor” looking after her mum and taking her temperature.

“The nurses were brilliant, they made everyone feel welcome. Nothing was ever too much trouble - going out of their way to make sure she always had ice in her drink! She loved her ice. They helped all of us and she trusted them knowing that they’d help her and then she’d go home again.

“At the end, she was at home, the palliative care team came out and she passed away on the Sunday.”

Becky's mum, Michelle, said “Becky was given 12 months and fought with all her strength to be here longer for Millie.

"Her strength and care from the nurses and doctors from Cransley helped her live for four years and for that I and all of the family will be forever grateful.”

The two sisters are joined in their skydiving mission to raise money for Cransley Hospice but they both have different reasons for wanting to take to the skies.

Joanna, an adrenaline junkie, wishes to celebrate Becky’s life with fun and exhilaration.

Lianne, wishes to be up high in the clouds, as close to Becky as she can be on the first anniversary of her death.

To help Joanna and Lianne soar above the clouds in support of Cransley Hospice and the provision of specialist end-of-life care in North Northamptonshire, you can donate to their just giving pages at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lianne-bright and https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/joanna-smith49.