Skydive in memory of late Macclesfield teenager
By Alex Greensmith
26th Jul 2023 | Local News
A Macclesfield woman will throw herself out of a plane to raise funds in memory of her best pal.
Maighan Mclean will take on one of Britain's biggest skydives to raise money for Cardiac Risk in the Young.
She will plunge 15,000 feet to generate awareness and funds for the aforementioned national charity, after her friend Mia Jennings passed away from cardiac arrest earlier in the year.
Mia was just 19 when she passed away in January.
Friends and family have raised over £21,000 for Cardiac Risk in the Young since March 2023, in memory of the former Macclesfield Leisure Centre employee.
Maighan first met Mia at Gawsworth Primary School when they were four years old.
She told Macclesfield Nub News why she felt she had to take on the fundraising skydive:
"Mia Jennings was the most kind and caring girl I have had the pleasure of knowing," Maighan said.
"Although my time with her was short there will never be a moment I will forget. She was so beautiful and full of light and anyone who had met her would tell you the same.
"I have always wanted to do a skydive, even though I am terrified of heights.
"I wanted to be able to do something that could raise quite a bit of money towards CRY.
"The charity is there to help prevent young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, and they also help support affected families.
"Every week in the UK, at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed cardiac conditions.
"With your donation, CRY can reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD) by working with cardiologists and family doctors to establish good practice and appropriate screening facilities to promote and protect the cardiac health of our young.
"By supporting CRY you will help save young lives from these potentially fatal cardiac conditions."
So far, Maighan has raised £1565, smashing her £1500 target.
And the skydive is still a few days away, with the university student from Macclesfield heading to Cumbria on Sunday August 6 to brave the skies.
"The Flookburgh skydive is the highest skydive you can do in the UK, you can even see the curve of the Earth," added Maighan.
"Everyone has been really supportive with it, the donations came in so far. I had to raise the target four times and I've just met another target now.
"Thank you so much to everyone who donates. It means so much not just to me, but to Mia's family. It is going to an great cause, and do heart screenings in Mia's name.
"She was amazing, she was beautiful. And it is not fair that it happened to her. But we're doing this [with the goal] to stop it happening to anybody else."
You can donate to Maighan's charity crowdfunder on this link.
Maighan will also be supported by her boyfriend Jack Talbot, who is not from Macclesfield.
Separate to Maighan's skydive, Jack is doing another fundraiser for CRY despite only briefly meeting Mia.
"I saw the effect it had on Maighan and her friends", said Jack.
"I only got to speak to Mia a few times, but in that same sort of breath I could see the impact she had on Maighan, and how easily she was to get on with. She was one of the only friends who came to visit Maighan at uni in York. She really did brighten the room when she walked in."
Jack will do the Great North Run for CRY, in memory of Mia, and he's raised £400 so far.
He'll run 13.1 miles, hoping to raise awareness and vital funds for the Surrey-based charity.
Macclesfield: You can donate on THIS LINK.
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