Patient’s leap of faith to help find a cure

3 min read

A brain tumour patient who took to the skies to help find a cure for the disease has sponsored two days of research. 

Jonathan Plummer’s adrenaline-fuelled challenge saw him leap from a plane at 10,000ft over Perranporth. His skydive raised more than £6,000 for Brain Tumour Research. 

He said: “My skydive was a fantastic experience when it finally went ahead after delays because of the weather. It happened at sunset and I had wonderful views over the Cornish coast.” 

Jonathan was diagnosed with a germ cell brain tumour, aged 20, after he’d been drinking 10 litres of water a day for two years. Doctors initially thought he had diabetes but eventually a routine eye test revealed a mass which led to his diagnosis with a brain tumour on his pituitary gland in 2002.  

Surgery wasn’t an option so Jonathan was placed on steroids which caused him to gain around five stone in weight, going from 12st to 17st. 

Last week, Jonathan was among supporters invited to tour our Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth, where he met scientists at the forefront of the fight against the disease. He placed two tiles on the Wall of Hope, representing the two days of research his fundraising had sponsored

Jonathan added: “To visit the lab and meet scientists who are working tirelessly to find a cure for the disease was emotional. I am so grateful to everybody who sponsored my skydive which has enabled me to fund vital research to help others affected by brain tumours.” 

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