Chesterfield dad to tackle skydive after baby daughter’s brain tumour

Dale’s daughter Iliarna was admitted to Chesterfield Royal Hospital in September 2020 following a period of illness before the six-week-old baby was transferred to Sheffield Children’s Hospital, where there it was discovered that Iliarna had a brain tumour around half the size of her skull.

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Dad, Dale, said: “Both me and Jess, Iliarna’s mum, were in complete shock. They told us that the tumour had pushed her brain to one side, and that she needed surgery immediately. She was in theatre for nine hours, where they removed 90 percent of the tumour before being transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. She spent the next six months undergoing treatment, right in the middle of covid and all the restrictions that came with it.”

During Iliarna’s time in Sheffield, dad Dale and mum Jessica Brownhill – who is registered disabled and has trouble walking – stayed in both Magnolia House and Treetop House, two ‘Homes from Home’ run by The Sick Children’s Trust that serve Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

“Honestly, I don’t know what we would have done without that support, it was unbelievable. The amount of time they gave us with Iliarna, not having to worry about a place to stay or driving back and forth from Chesterfield every day, meant so much to us. That will be my motivation when it comes to stepping out of that plane”, Dale said.

He is now all set for The Sick Children’s Trust’s Skydive Weekend which takes place on 3-4 June, with the 45-year-old heading to Lancashire for a jump that will see him reach speeds of up to 120mph.

Elisa Cappello Dowd, community fundraising manager for The Sick Children’s Trust, said: “We’re so pleased we could support brave Iliana’s parents during such an incredibly difficult time, and thrilled to hear that she is doing so well. Jumping from a plane at 10,000 feet for our charity is awe-inspiring, and we can’t thank Dale enough for supporting our ‘Homes from Home’ through this challenge.”

More information can be found on Dale’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dale-evans10.