88 year old Betty taking to the skies for Cobalt
26th May 2017
At 88 years of age, Elizabeth Bromage who lives in a retirement home in Cheltenham will become Britain’s oldest female wing walker, taking to the skies for local medical charity Cobalt. On Wednesday 7 June at 3pm Betty will take off from Staverton airport and climb high into the Gloucestershire skies strapped to the wings of a vintage plane.
Funds Betty raises will help the charity purchase a new MRI scanner for the Cobalt Imaging Centre in Cheltenham. This scanner has all the latest software to ensure they continue to offer the very best high definition specialist images, including neurology and musculoskeletal, for clinical and research patients now and well into the future.
In addition to the new scanner the charity wants to be one of only a few centres in the UK to offer an ‘in bore’ patient experience system.
This system aims to reduce anxiety and enable patients to select a relaxing environment of their choice before their scan, including soothing video images, access to reassuring communication throughout the scan and reduced noise from the scanner. All of this can help patients to relax and keep as still as possible in comfort to ensure the best possible images are captured.
Betty retired from nursing 23 years ago and hasn’t rested since. In her spare time she loves to be with family and friends and speaking about the challenge ahead she said ‘I plan to make the most of my life. Whilst others at my age might prefer to take it easy, I just love the adrenaline rush of doing something as extreme as a wing walk. I’m fit and healthy so there’s nothing to stop me. I’m really looking forward to it and raising as much money for Cobalt as I can. It’s such a worthwhile cause.’
Kirsty Bradbury, Fundraising Engagement Officer, Cobalt said ‘When Betty came to tell us what she had planned to raise money for Cobalt we were so excited. Challenge events are a great way to raise money for us as well as drawing attention to the work we do’.
To support Betty go to bettyflieshigh