"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.