Throwing myself off a building, but lets start with a cliff…

On Thursday, April 19th at 8am I will be abseiling down the QV1 building. QV1 is the fourth tallest building in my city of Perth, at 40 stories high and just over 160 meters (525 feet) its going to be no small feat.

As part of this annual fundraising event, you need to complete a training day to assess your skills and requirements for the day as well as familiarise you with the equipment you will be using on the day.

Meet Gabby, she is currently in a wheelchair due to complications with her illness, she will be descending the building with me and is one of the reasons I do what I do.

This event is all-inclusive, I know of four participates completing it in wheelchairs and many that will have skilled instructors descending beside them to take the ropes at times of fatigue.

Why, oh why...

At this stage, you may be asking what on this earth is making me undertake this crazy death-defying act?

Because I can, and...

I am an ostomate, as in I have a stoma and a permanent ostomy bag for life, without it I would be dead and would never be able to attempt such an act. I also do it:

• To raise awareness about ostomy's,
• to break the stigma associated with having an ostomy,
• to give hope to anyone who is still struggling through the stages of finding themselves again after a life-changing event,
• to raise money for support services for ostomates.
  • Also a requirement to do the decent, a min of $750 AUD must be raised for the abseil and $1500 for the zip line to the ground.

I am very passionate about support systems as I felt so alone and depressed in the beginning. I had no one my age to talk with and believe that was part of the reason my acceptance took years. Since starting support groups in March 2016 they have continued to grow and more support is needed, so any help or if you just want to see me scared shirtless then please DONATE HERE.

Somedays all you need is someone who has been there and done that to know that there is going to be a positive tomorrow to look forward too.

Training Day

So 8am a week ago, I took my slightly chilly butt with my husband Someone had to film it. in tow off to Stratham's Quarry. We arrived to two training faces one 18 meters (59 feet) the other 24 meters (79 feet). Once we arrive at the top of the cliff face, some of us puffing more than others, we were asked of prior skills and split into two groups.

I going down 160 meters in just two weeks, that's 6.66 times the tallest cliff face, is that an omen...

I went with the steeper and taller option as I have been abseiling before and still enjoy indoor rock climbing on occasion. I had used some of the equipment previously and am a jump in head first kind of person.

At 160 meters the ropes will weigh over 16 kgs (35 pounds), making the abseil at the top, less of a sail and more of a push and pull action. From there we will have smooth sailing down to the midpoint where the breaks will be harder to put on to a point where a full stop will be required to add additional resistance to the rope system. We practised the start and stop as well as the additional resistance, which you can see at the start of the clip below as I inch my way down. Be warned that if you are afraid of heights the first parts after the walk could be disturbing.

Thanks for stopping by the sky's the limit!

DONATE HERE

Everything helps and I am a long way off my required fundraising goal and I would hate to miss the opportunity to zipline from the top of the building, so please click through to the link and donate even a little, today's coffee to help someone through what could be the toughest time in their life or to scare the crap out of me?