Brave mum's plunge for cancer charity

Kevin and Julie Hodgson, doing a skydive after her battle with cancer.

Julie Hodgson, 49, from Queensbury, will take to the sky at the end of this month to raise money for Cancer Support Yorkshire.

She credits the charity with being a “lifeline” while she received treatment for stage three breast cancer.

Julie, who works at Buzzsolomoto, Pellon Lane, Halifax, was diagnosed with cancer last July after being asked to join a Mammogram trial for women under the age of 50.

“They ran some tests and I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was devastated and it was a very hard time,” Julie said.

“It was stage three and only a tiny tumour when they first found it, but when the time came to remove it had grown and was quite aggressive.

“There hadn’t really been any signs, apart from tiredness, and there was no past of it in the family so it did come as quite a shock. It was hard for my family - I’m always doing things, I’ve trekked the Himalayas - so it was a real shock for them too.”

Julie had two lots of surgery at Bradford Royal Infirmary and underwent gruelling chemotherapy - the affects of which she is still feeling now.

She lost her hair, fingernails and still struggles to wear shoes for prolonged periods of time, but it was while she was in hospital that she first came across Cancer Support Yorkshire - a small, independent charity based in Bradford.

Julie said: “It was absolutely brilliant, I could have different treatments, I could talk to somebody and it was a chance to do something away from what was going on.

It was a lifeline and I still go now.”

She has now finished her treatment and is focused on completing her parachute jump later in the month.

Julie’s son James, a parachute instructor in the RAF at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, inspired her to take on the charity challenge.

She will complete the 15,000ft jump alongside husband, Kevin, her son and his wife Danielle. The challenge will be made more special as it is part of Julie and Kevin’s 50th birthday celebrations.

You can donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Julie-Hodgson-Was-Carnall1