Documentary makers spent a day sailing off Cowes with an Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust crew including Macy Boyling (22) who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at just six years old, Emily Wright (19) who had an Optic Pathway Glioma aged nine and Romy Rundle (18) who had Osteosarcoma in her knee at the age of 14. They were joined by Ellen herself who explained how the charity came about and the impact it has had, ahead of the crew competing in the Round The Island Race. 

The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust was founded by Ellen almost 20 years ago. It is a national charity that inspires young people aged eight to 24 to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.

Cancer can have a big impact on a young person’s mental wellbeing and the Trust offers the opportunity to learn sailing and to become part of a crew, as well as outdoor adventure. Through this, the young people build confidence by making friends with others who have had similar experiences – often for the first time. They rediscover independence away from home and life outside of their ‘cancer bubble.’ Their mental wellbeing improves, and they start to re-establish their place in the world, getting back into education or work and reconnecting with their friends and families.

Since completing her first trip with the Trust, Macy has gone on to become a keen sailor with her university sailing club and she goes back to help with Trust trips each year. “Through the Trust I got ‘me’ back,” Macy Boyling said. “Before that I was ‘Macy who had cancer’, but through sailing with the Trust I met people who felt the same as me and had gone through the same things I had. They’re a huge family and helped me get to where I am today. There’s always constant support, even now I’m returning as a volunteer. They’re still there every step of the way for whatever help or reassurance I need. It is the best thing I’ve ever done and I don’t think I would be here or be anywhere near where I am today without the Trust.”

How Sailing Is Helping Young People Affected by Cancer

“I had the chance to sail with a French charity that did exactly what the Trust does back in the year 2000,” said Dame Ellen MacArthur. “And I was absolutely blown away by the spirit of the young people. It had a massive and profound effect on me. When I finished my first round-the-world, I realized that there was nothing like that in this country. And that’s why we set up the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust; to give that same spirit the chance to thrive. There’s some magic that happens on those trips. It really does help those young people to step out of their illness.”

Dame Ellen MacArthur said: “I had the chance to sail with a French charity that did exactly what the Trust does back in the year 2000. And I was absolutely blown away by the spirit of the young people. It had a massive and profound effect on me. When I finished my first round-the-world, I realized that there was nothing like that in this country. And that’s why we set up the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust; to give that same spirit the chance to thrive. There’s some magic that happens on those trips. It really does help those young people to step out of their illness.”

The Trust has two bases in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and Largs in Scotland, and works with every Primary Treatment Centre in the UK.   

Once a young person has sailed with the Trust for the first time, they can stay involved, either by returning for further annual trips or, if they are aged 18+, by becoming a volunteer to support other young people like them.

Once a young person has sailed with the Trust for the first time, they can stay involved, either by returning for further annual trips or, if they are aged 18+, by becoming a volunteer to support other young people like them. These ‘graduate volunteers’ symbolise a brighter future and inspire those more recently off treatment. 

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Nisha Kotecha is the Founder of Good News Shared. Having worked and volunteered for charities in the UK for over 10 years, Nisha is on a mission to highlight how amazing charities are.

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