“It was undoubtedly one of the greatest things I have ever done, the peace and tranquillity once the parachute deploys gives you a sense of calm and the views were spectacular. It was just the perfect way to say thank you to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre for everything they’ve done.”

Say hello to Julie Capon, a daredevil from Hook near Salisbury.

Julie has recently done something rather amazing and taken part in a 15,000ft tandem skydive in support of the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre to thank the ‘incredible’ staff for looking after her husband Ray.

Five years ago, Ray had to have his leg amputated above his knee and the specialist team at the Oxford Prosthetic Centre which is based at the NOC, were invaluable in helping support Ray and the family through what can only be described as a difficult time.

Julie explains: “The moment we walked through the doors of the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre we knew we were in the right place. The staff here treated us with such care and compassion, and nothing was ever too much trouble.”

“Even the small things made such a difference to Ray and his wellbeing, for example being able to create his own design to go on the prosthetic socket, it really helped normalise what can only be described as a life-changing situation, and the team were by our side every step of the way.”

Once Ray was on the mend, Julie decided she wanted to give something back and show her appreciation but didn’t know what she could do until her children brought her a skydive for her birthday.

Two years and seven delays later – due to the pandemic – Julie finally braved the jump and has raised over £2,300 for our charity, which is simply incredible!

Julie adds: “There really is no experience like doing a skydive, I am a self-professed car junkie and I love track days and the thrills of F1 and I think this is just another level above that. The scariest bit of this whole challenge was losing the element of control as the door of the plane opens! I’m so proud that I’ve been able to finally do this skydive, the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre has given my husband his life back and I hope this goes some way to show our appreciation.”

Support from fundraisers like Julie makes such a difference to all our hospitals, funding the very latest medical equipment, making wards and departments more welcoming and comfortable for patients and supporting our dedicated NHS staff.

Claire Hughes from Oxford Hospitals Charity explains:

“We’re all so incredibly proud of Julie for taking on a challenge that she’ll never forget. Fundraising like this helps us make a real difference to patients and staff across the Oxford University NHS Foundation Trust and we couldn’t be more grateful."

If you've been inspired by Julie and would like to support the work at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, please donate today.