"Cause I Can" Judith Cantor's fundraising projects

Up, up and away...

We did it! On Tuesday Anne McKevitt and I jumped 14,000ft out of a perfectly good plane at Byron Bay! And both of us are still grinning, giggling and shaking our heads in disbelief. 

What an experience!

I was very grateful to have landed us a couple of t-shirts from Make-A-Wish Foundation when I was in Melbourne last week - especially as they were designed and signed by Hugh Jackman (yes, sorry ladies, we didn't actually get to meet the man - only pretend that he was flush against our skin during the jump!). They came in very handy in promoting the cause when we were interviewed by Prime News Lismore!

After about four hours of waiting for the weather to clear, Skydive Byron collected us from our resort (which, as it turns out, supports Make-A-Wish!) only to wait a further two hours at the base. Talk about an anti-climax.

Eventually our turn came and we got suited up by a woman who recognised Anne straight away from her various TV shows (so much for remaining incognito in Australia, Anne!).

Neither of us was nervous. In fact, I was quite calm until they opened the roller door on the plane and I got a blast of the -5 degree temp! It was only as I was perched on the edge of the plane about to fall forward into nothingness that I felt a swarm of butterflies fill my tummy - but that may just have been the muesli bar I'd eaten an hour or so before, or the rocking motion before launching.

My gorgeous, very young dive master Alex was great at keeping me relaxed - even though he came up with a few jokes in an attempt to unhinge me like "If you hear this sound *click click*, start flapping your arms." I only found out after the jump just how young he is - a mere 21 years old - which was a good thing, but also that he just came 6th in the national championships. No wonder he was keen to do all those twirly maneuvers! It did also mean that he was comfortable enough giving me the chute to control though, which was brilliant.

The jump itself was a tough one to process. 

The 60 second free fall was so intense it felt like 5 seconds but was filled with head chatter as I tried to compute what was going on and work out whether I was enjoying myself or not. My ears hurt. Falling through clouds felt like a million needles puncturing my skin and then the same sensation as thawing out after being in freezing weather conditions. And then came the floating once the chute had opened. That was absolutely sublime. Especially when we caught the thermals and soared. It was so still. And so beautiful. I could immediately understand why dive junkies are dive junkies.

Although it's been a few days since the jump, I can still sense the wonder, feel the adrenalin coursing through my veins, and smile at the memory knowing it's changed my life forever.

And thats' exactly what I wish for the seriously ill kids who have registered their own wishes with Make-A-Wish Foundation! To get to do something they'll never forget. And hopefully make the rest go away - if only for a few minutes.

My fundraising page is still active. 

Please, now that I've learned to fly and lived to tell the tale, be generous. Visit www.gofundraise.com.au/Judith_Cantor_04 and give all the sick children in Australia a high five.

Surely the fact that a global personality like Anne was brave enough to take the plunge with me is worth lots and lots of support too?

And in the words of our friend Hugh - "Believe in dreams".

For more photos click here.

Less than 24 hours away!

Just after dawn tomorrow, 20 April, I will be jumping out of a plane. With Anne McKevitt, global business guru and philanthropist.

To say I'm starting to get butterflies in my stomach is something of an understatement, but I'm incredibly excited too!

Skydiving over Byron Bay, with one of the world's leading minds, in support of Make-A-Wish Foundation, will be a tough act to follow. It's in a world of its own. A dream come true really.

Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses... things they never thought they'd get to do. Although, thankfully, I am not in the same boat as them, I can fully understand their joy. 

While I am in a position to pay for my "wish", they, and their families, more often than not are not however. They really need your help to do this.

Please, please, visit www.gofundraise.com.au/Judith_Cantor_04 and join the effort to bring more smiles to more kids' faces when Make-A-Wish are able the grant them their wildest dreams.

Thank you!

And, see you on the other side.

On a high!

Would you risk life for social change? Anne and I are!

Picture jumping out of a plane at 14,000feet. Screaming as you plummet towards the earth. That's what I'll be doing with global serial and social entrepreneur... Anne McKevitt!

On 20 April, we'll be making the jump at Byron Bay to raise awareness for Make-A-Wish Foundation. I, of course, am fundraising for this worthy cause too.

Make-A-Wish Foundation is a national organisation that grants wishes to children that have life-threatening medical conditions. Since 1985, the charity has granted over 5,700 wishes bringing joy and strength to some of Australia's sickest kids.

How did the skydive come about, you ask? Anne used to be my mentor and it just so happens that we share a sense of adventure and passion for social change - so I asked her to join me on my crazy April challenge. Imagine my disbelief when she said 'yes?
She is truly a dynamo and an inspiration. Just to give you an idea of some of her achievements:

- Member of President Bill Clinton's Clinton Global Initiative

- Awarded Leading Women Entrepreneur of the World 2002-2003

- Member of the Women's Leadership Board at Harvard

- Recognised by The International Herald Tribune as a World Class Entrepreneur

- Named by Time Magazine as one of Four International Business Leaders to Watch

- Placed at #30 in the Sunday Times 500 Most Powerful Britons

- Executive-in-Residence Brisbane Graduate School of Business QUT

- Chair Ernst & Young, 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

- Mentored, guided and worked with Mercedes, IKEA, Royal Doulton, Peugeot, Ernst & Young, WalMart, Deloitte, Waterford Crystal, Jeep, Bloomingdales, Saks, Pottery Barn, Moet e Chandon, Freeman's, Sainsbury's, Debenhams, Wedgewood, Marks & Spencer, Commonwealth Bank, Optus, Toyota and Hewlett Packard

- Attracted an A-list clientele to her interior design business the reads like a 'who's who' including: Sultan of Brunei, Michael Caine, Naomi Campbell, Dyan Cannon, Catherine Deneuve, Faye Dunaway, Linda Evangelista, Sir Bob Geldof, Jerry Hall, Sir Elton John, Annie Lennox, Sophia Loren, Paul and the late Linda McCartney, Kate Moss and Joan Rivers

So, now that you know who's risking her life to jump with me next week, please support our mission - to make giving part of social consciousness on a daily basis.

Make-A-Wish celebrate their 25th anniversary this year and it would be an even bigger celebration for both the organisation and the kids if you could help spread the joy by visiting www.gofundraise.com.au/Judith_Cantor_04 and make your donation today.

Can you imagine what it would be like to grant the wish of a really ill child and help speed up his or her recovery? Or turn what may ordinarily be another day of pain into an adventure?

Why wouldn't you want to be part of that?

Thanks so much for your encouragement and support, and please remember to forward this on to as many people who you can!