Skydiving for Mekhi and Ichthyosis

Earlier this year, a group of friends and family took to the skies to support little Mekhi Barbour who was diagnosed with Lamellar Ichthyosis, a rare genetic skin disorder for which there is currently no cure. They decided to raise money to help support leading Ichthyosis research at St Bartholomew’s Hospital by skydiving.

Here is their story...

"On the 31 July 2010 my Godson, Mekhi Barbour (pictured here), was born with a very rare skin condition called Ichthyosis. I had never heard of this condition and at first didn't think it at all to be serious, until my wife and I visited him at the hospital. Not being able to see him was hard but what was harder was watching Jon and Laura go through all the emotions they did, but still having to be strong for not only each other but for friends and family as well. To their immense credit, rather than wallowing, they decided to take action and as there is no government funding for the condition they began fundraising.

That's when the idea of doing a skydive came to me. Six of Jon and Laura's family and friends agreed to take the plunge and after months of planning, date changes, strict diets to meet the weight restrictions and a lot of campaigning, Rohan, Jermaine, Stephen and I took the 12,000 foot jump to raise money for our little man! Although the rush of adrenaline was intense and the thrill of free falling was exhilarating, none of that compared to the sense of achievement we had after landing, feeling like we had been apart of something that could very well change the lifestyle of Mekhi.

We love you kid!"

If you'd like to organise an event for a friend or family member, then please visit our 'Get Involved' pages for more information or email us at funraisingteam@bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk , we'd love to hear from you.

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