NOTHING is more synonymous with living fearless than spreading your wings on a first foray into skydiving.

For former St Joseph's College student Melissa Lord, the proposition of hurtling out of a plane from 12,000 feet is a scary one, but when it's to raise awareness and funds for Crohn's Disease, it's an opportunity that was never going to be missed.

"It's part of a campaign and the hashtag is live fearless, so this is a way to show that even if you're living with these conditions, you can still do things and live fearlessly," said Mrs Lord, who will take the plunge this Saturday at Coolangatta.

"I'm nervous and a bit frantic, but I wanted to raise awareness for a good cause."

The campaign will see Mrs Lord, who has battled Crohn's since she was a teenager, tackle a ten day, 100km Crohn's and Colitis Australia's (CCA) El Camino, Spain trek in May next year if she can raise $4000.

All funds raised go towards CCA research projects, and Mrs Lord has already raised over $2,000 through an everyday heroes page, and through a disco bowls night at Coolangatta-Tweed Tenpin back in May.

While now physically ready to tackle skydiving, Mrs Lord's story is one that's all too familiar for the 75,000 Australians whose lives are affected by Crohn's.

"Halfway through year 12 my wheels started to fall off. I lost a lot of weight before my formal and I was diagnosed not long after that," Mrs Lord said.

Although told she'd have to have major bowel surgery and have an ileostomy bag permanently fitted back in 2000, Mrs Lord endured medications, trial drugs and alternative methods in a struggle to control her systems and avoid surgery.

Mrs Lord battled on for almost a decade until 2009 when a perforation in her bowel left her with no other option than one she now wishes she'd taken a long time prior.

"Having the surgery was the best decision and I have no regrets," Mrs Lord said.

"It took a lot of convincing to have a permanent bag for the rest of my life, but my husband was really supportive and just wanted to see me happy.

"After the surgery I got a lot better, I'm off medication and my quality of life is so much better now."

Now with two children and a strong support network, Mrs Lord felt it was time to step up and live by the fearless moniker on the campaign trail.

"This year has been my first foray into it all - but it's (campaigning) definitely something that's been really great for me, and it's helped me deal with my condition," Mrs Lord said.

"I never really speak about my condition and I'm sure there's loads of people out there that suffer in silence, so this helps to take the stigma away.

"I'm just trying to do something wonderful for myself and others and make my boys proud."

Mrs Lord makes her jump with Gold Coast Skydive from 9am on Saturday, before landing on the beach at North Kirra.

To make a donation, visit her Everyday Heroes page, and follow the journey on social media via hashtags: #gutlessandwonderful #nolimits and #livefearless.