‘We were best friends’: Northampton teen ready to skydive to make memories for her aunt and raise money in her name

A teenager from Northampton is gearing up to take on a skydiving challenge in memory of her auntie and to raise funds for a hospital ward close to her heart.

Olivia Brittain from West Hunsbury, was incredibly close to her auntie, Victoria, who passed away earlier this year.

Victoria, who was 37 when she died, suffered a cardiac arrest in 2014 when she was 31 weeks pregnant.

The baby, named Charlie, was delivered by emergency C-section and then cared for on the neonatal intensive care ward at Northampton General Hospital, but unfortunately died two days later due to brain damage.

Victoria was also left with severe brain damage meaning she could not walk or talk, so was cared for in a home following the cardiac arrest until she died of natural causes in April this year.

Now Victoria’s niece, Olivia, who was incredibly close with her auntie is hoping to make memories for the both of them and raise money at the same time by taking on a skydive.

The 18-year-old said: “I live with my grandparents and my auntie played a huge part in my upbringing.

“We were best friends and we spent so much time together. Her death hit our family really hard.

“I want to do something to remember her and I want to make memories for the both of us.”

After contacting the Gosset ward to find out what is needed, Olivia was told about kangaroo chairs, which fully recline and give ill babies and mothers valuable skin-to-skin time.

To buy two chairs, Olivia needs to raise £3,437, which she hopes to do on the back of her skydive scheduled for Saturday (December 5) - the day which would have been Victoria’s birthday.

Olivia said: “The Gosset Ward has always been so fantastic and they were supportive of us when my cousin passed away.

“So many children in my family have been cared for there, including my godmother.

“The care she received 22 years ago was fantastic and the care is still fantastic.

“My auntie didn’t benefit from things like these chairs, but I’m sure she will be pleased other mothers can.”

Olivia is excited for the terrifying jump, but is also expecting to be nervous on the day.

So far, she has already raised more than £2,000 and is hoping to hit her target once she has completed the jump.

To donate to Olivia fundraiser, visit her JustGiving page here.

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