Young at heart: Joe's charity skydive with his granddaughter
Clara's Joe Loonam (81) recently undertook a skydive jump with his granddaughter Helen to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) following his own battle with prostate cancer.
Joe was diagnosed with cancer about five or six years ago and wanted to give something back after the care he received throughout the ordeal. He was treated for prostate cancer in St Luke's Centre at St James's Hospital but his health is very good at the moment.
Speaking about the skydive, Joe said: “I was a bit nervous beforehand,. We jumped from 13,000 feet and we knew that before we went but once I got up and got going I was okay.”
“Once we left the plane, it was a bit scary then for a while before they pulled the chain and that was it. Then it was a great sail all the way down and the view was terrific all over.”
Joe, who is originally from Derrynagun in Ballycumber, but has been living in Clara since around 1975, said the experience of doing the skydive was “very good”.
“I wasn't that scared. There was some people there and they were deadly scared but they done it as well.”
Joe said that Helen was able to give him “the low down” on the skydive after having completed one last year and they supported each other through the experience.
Helen completed a skydive jump in April 2022 with some of her colleagues which sparked Joe's interest in undertaking one to raise money for charity.
Helen said: “My grandad said he would love to do one, and for Father's Day, my Mam and her siblings got a voucher for him. He then decided he wanted to do it for the Irish Cancer Society, give something back and after several postponements due to bad weather on the 27th May at the Irish Parachute Club we finally did the jump and it was worth the wait because the weather was fab," Helen explained.
“There's not too many grandchildren who get to say they've done a skydive alongside their grandad but I didn't jump for the ICS, all money raised was due to my grandad.”
Helen added that Joe is “an absolute superhero” in her eyes. “I'll be forever grateful that I got to have this experience with him.”
Joe said he would consider undertaking another skydive jump in the future. “If this one goes well, and I get up to the 5,000 (target) I'd definitely do another one.”
He has been quite active throughout his life and has always enjoyed biking and swimming and said that he still goes swimming four nights a week. “I've always been into sports all my life.” He also played football for Pullough in his youth.
Joe and Helen have raised over €2,600 from the fundraiser to date but the local man is hoping to reach a target of €5,000 for the Irish Cancer Society. They completed the skydive jump on Saturday, May 27 at the Irish Parachute Club in Clonbullogue.
To donate to the fundraiser visit justgiving.com/fundraising/joe-loonam81