A DISABLED pensioner will be taking in an 800ft high wing walk to raise money for dementia research, writes Susie Finch.
Diana Baker, 77, will be strapped to a 1940’s biplane which will travel at speeds of up to 140mph and reach a height of 800ft.
Mrs Baker, who has a paralysed arm due to childhood polio, will be flying with AeroSuperBatics – the Guinness World Record holding wing walking team – on Friday, September 30.
The Stroud-based Charity Learning Consortium, an eLearning organisation founded by Mrs Baker’s son, Martin Baker, is paying for the wing walk itself eliminating any expenses so that all money raised goes directly to The Lewy Body Society.
The Consortium is paying for the wingwalk, eliminating any expenses so that all money raised will go to The Lewy Body Society. Martin’s father, Tony Baker, died in 2020 from Lewy body dementia and this year would have been his parents diamond (60th) wedding anniversary.
“My mum is simply amazing. I still can’t quite believe that she is doing this, but it’s a cause that is very dear to us.” said Martin.
Daredevil Di, 77, has a paralysed arm due to childhood polio. Undaunted, she’ll be strapped to a 1940s biplane, travelling at speeds of up to 140mph, to reach 800 feet – that’s more than twice the height of Big Ben! She’ll be flying with AeroSuperBatics – the Guinness World Record holding wingwalking team – on September 30 from Rendcomb airfield in Cirencester.
Lewy body dementia is still relatively unknown, despite being the second most common type of dementia. “No-one has ever heard of it,” says Di. “I want that to change, so that people get diagnosed earlier. It’s very personal.”
The wingwalk is just one way that Di fundraisers for The Lewy Body Society, supporting the charity’s work to raise awareness and improve diagnosis and treatment.
Di refuses to let her disability hold her back. “People often don’t even realise that I can’t use one arm because it’s never stopped me from doing anything,” she says. “My motto has always been ‘where there’s a will there’s a way.”
