East midlands schoolgirl skydives for charity after kidney failure
While most year 11 students anxiously awaited their GCSE results last week, 16-year-old, Jasmine Hand, from South Derbyshire, was coming back down to earth after raising more than £2,500 for Kidney Research UK at a charity skydive event.
Diagnosed with kidney disease in 2022, Jasmine found herself needing life-saving dialysis treatment every night for 18 months, before finally receiving a kidney transplant from her dad, Phil, in 2024.
She says: “For so long, my life has been on pause because of my health. I’ve missed a lot of school, and it has been hard to maintain friendships. A transplant isn’t a cure – and it hasn’t been smooth sailing for me since I received a kidney from my dad.
“Thankfully, though, my health has been more stable recently. I’ve wanted to do a skydive for ages and have finally been well enough to do it. You only live once, so I just went for it! I don’t know how long I’ll have with this kidney, so I try to make the most of every day.
“It is so important to me to highlight organ donation, raise awareness, and help fund research that could change the future for people living with kidney disease.”
Jasmine’s mum, Helen, says: “Jasmine was in year 7 when this all started. Every time she has tried to go back to school, she has been hospitalised by yet another infection. She fought so hard just to be able to sit two GCSEs – English and Maths. I’m so proud of her. She’ll be starting college in September.
“Jasmine had so many people come to support her at the skydive. We’re so grateful. She was as cool as a cucumber about the whole thing - I was the one feeling the nerves! I think she’s crazy for doing it but I’m so proud of her.”
Shock diagnosis
In February 2022, at 12 years old, Jasmine and her family noticed a rash developing on her legs and feet. She was taken to the GP, who believed the cause to be keratosis pilaris – a common, harmless condition where small bumps appear on the skin.
Helen says: “We were sent away with steroid cream and that was that. However, by May, Jasmine had swollen up like the Michelin man. You couldn’t see her ankles. We urgently made another appointment to see our GP, who then sought advice from the paediatric team at Royal Derby Hospital.
“Within hours, they identified something was seriously wrong and called us into A&E. They were mortified that our GP hadn’t conducted urine or blood tests to investigate Jasmine’s condition. When she provided a urine sample in hospital, it was like a pot of red water.”
Jasmine was admitted to Royal Derby Hospital for four days before being transferred to Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham for a biopsy. It was then that she was diagnosed with a form of kidney disease called IgA vasculitis nephritis.
Living with kidney disease
When Jasmine was diagnosed in May 2022, she had already lost more than half her kidney function. By Christmas, her kidneys were failing and she was readied to start dialysis.
Dialysis is a treatment that performs some of the functions of the kidney, such as removing waste from your blood, helping to maintain balanced levels of fluid and minerals, and helping to control blood pressure. It can do about 10% of the work of healthy kidneys. There are different types, both haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Helen says: “We didn’t feel we had a choice in the type of dialysis Jasmine had. We were told that having peritoneal dialysis at home overnight would mean she could still go to school. However, it just made her too poorly.”
Jasmine says: “Dialysis was horrible. Friends didn’t understand the severity of my condition and, when I was able to go to school, I just didn’t fit in. The effects of kidney disease aren’t always visible, so it was hard to get their heads around how I could look okay but be so ill.
“It has impacted the whole family. I have an older brother and a little sister. She finds it hard when I have hospital appointments because she panics that I’ll be admitted again.”
Helen says: “It has affected us all. I’d only just started a new job around the time Jasmine was diagnosed but was signed off with stress because of the impact on my blood pressure. I’ve not been employed for four years now because of the care I need to provide.
“It has been awful. One of the worst times was Christmas Eve in 2023, when Jasmine had several seizures and was rushed to hospital. She was placed in a coma for a week and had to re-learn to walk. It has caused neurological problems that still affect her memory.”
A transplant is not a cure
In October 2024, after almost two years on dialysis, Jasmine finally received a kidney transplant from her dad.
She says: “At first, I was worried about my dad giving me a kidney but I’m so grateful he has done something so massive for me. I no longer need dialysis which is amazing. It has meant I’ve been able to go on holiday with my family and do things like my skydive. Dad is doing so well. You wouldn’t even know he has donated an organ.
“After the transplant, I felt better instantly - but within a few months my vasculitis began affecting my new kidney. Lots of people think that a transplant fixes everything but that is not the case. You’re still spending time in hospital, having check-ups and facing complications. You don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring.”
On average, a kidney transplant lasts about 20 years, meaning it is likely Jasmine will need more in the future. The immunosuppressive medication she must take to prevent her body from rejecting the kidney also leaves her at higher risk of infection and some forms of cancer, among other side-effects. Jasmine has already needed to have her tonsils removed because of persistent tonsilitis infections.
Making a difference
Jasmine is not alone in the struggles she faces, and, over the past few years, she has been able to connect with other young people living with kidney disease.
Jasmine says: “I’ve made friends who really understand what I’m going through. I’ve spoken with one friend, Lucy, every single day since we were introduced. We’re like two peas in a pod. Recently, she has been told she might not be able to have another transplant. That hit me hard and was a huge motivation for me doing the skydive. I hope researchers can find breakthroughs to give her a chance at life with a new kidney.
“I’m sad the skydive is over now because I loved it. The freefall was so fun and we had amazing views over Nottingham. Some people expected me to feel more nervous, but it was so exciting. I don’t actually enjoy flying, so the plane journey was scarier than the jump!
“When I landed, I felt quite teary because everyone was cheering. My family had massive smiles on their faces and Grandma’s eyes filled up. I was amazed at how many people turned up to support me. I’m so grateful for the donations I’ve received.
“Since I’ve been poorly, I’ve always had a passion for wanting to help others. I hope now that my health will continue to be stable so I can study health and social care at college and, one day, become a paramedic.”
There is still time to donate to support Jasmine’s fundraising: Fundraiser by Jasmine Hand : Jasmines skydive 2026
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