From Pubmed
All parachute injuries from two local parachute centres over a 5-year period were analysed. Of 174 patients with injuries of varying severity, 94% were first-time charity-parachutists. The injury rate in charity-parachutists was 11% at an average cost of 3751 Pounds per casualty. Sixty-three percent of casualties who were charity-parachutists required hospital admission, representing a serious injury rate of 7%, at an average cost of 5781 Pounds per patient. The amount raised per person for charity was 30 Pounds. Each pound raised for charity cost the NHS 13.75 Pounds in return. Parachuting for charity costs more money than it raises, carries a high risk of serious personal injury and places a significant burden on health resources.
It does have to be said that that isn't exactly the right figure as some of those people would do a parachute jump themselves, but are instead getting their friends to pay for it via a charity donation. But, making it free for them (as their friends and co-workers are paying for it) is more likely to have people doing it.
Dark thoughts
2 hours ago
4 comments:
Agreed. Somebody at work said she was "doing XYZ for charity" and I said "No you're not, you're doing it for yourself".
Mark,
I give for marathons. I know that to some extent is about something they want to do, but it also takes massive effort, and all the money goes to charity.
I don't give for these 'going biking in the Andes' trips. About half the money goes on their trip. Charities don't care, though. If they make anything, they'll take it.
Someone at an opposing cricket club has just joined the Round Table and has come up with a 5 year plan to raise £20k for charity, which strangely involves him travelling pretty much every continent to walk up various hills.
I've seen this before. Based on 1999 stats and since countered by paratypes who claim risk of injury is far lower these days, I think because most charity jumps are tandem.
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