Watch: report by ITV Information Meridian’s Mel Bloor
A former banker from Thatcham, who was pressured to retire in her 30s as a result of a medical situation, says studying to fly a aircraft has given her a brand new lease of life.
Rebecca Giddings, who has a uncommon coronary heart situation, was awarded a scholarship with the charity Flying Scholarships for Disabled Individuals (FSDP) and has since accomplished 20 hours of flying.
This is Rebecca’s story.
The primary time somebody provides you management of a aircraft and also you’re hurtling down the runway and impulsively you are within the air and it is you, you are in management. It is terrifying and releasing and superb and exhilarating all on the similar time. There isn’t any feeling prefer it.
Rebecca, a step-mum of three, had simply returned from a vacation in Mexico when she began struggling chest ache.
Being solely 33-years-old on the time, she put it all the way down to work stress and carried on with life.
However the ache acquired worse and following checks in hospital, she was recognized with a uncommon coronary heart downside and a fancy and debilitating situation known as Ethler’s Danlos Syndrome.
Rebecca struggled to stroll or do the best of duties when she was awarded a scholarship with Flying Scholarships for Disabled Individuals.
Rebecca Giddings
FSDP’s mission is to encourage disabled adults, constructing their confidence, vanity and future aspirations by means of the sharing of life altering aviation experiences.
The charity was based in 1983 by Paul Bowen of the Royal Worldwide Air Tattoo, in reminiscence of Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, a disabled wartime fighter ace who misplaced each his legs in an accident in 1931.
As quickly as you stand up there, I can virtually really feel my entire physique chill out and it is virtually fairly seen as properly that you may see that taking place and the method of that 4 weeks of flying helped me come to phrases with this grieving course of with the actual fact I wasn’t going to be the one who I used to be and that I wanted to alter my focus and cease attempting to get again to that.
Mr Bowen’s son, Man Bowen, is the present chairman of FSDP.
Man Bowen, Chairman of Flying Scholarships for Disabled Individuals
Since her scholarship, Rebecca has restarted work on a PhD in Ethics and Monetary Providers, has taken up archery and began singing classes.
She says studying to fly has helped her to look ahead as an alternative of backwards and hopes by sharing her story, it’s going to encourage others.
For extra data on Flying Scholarships for Disabled Individuals, please click on here
