Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust appeals for Christmas support
In a challenging time for charities, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is asking for the public’s support this Christmas to help even more young people impacted by cancer experience the healing power of being on the water.
Founded by Dame Ellen MacArthur in 2003, the national charity takes young people ages 8-24 who are living through and beyond cancer on sailing and outdoor adventures to inspire them to believe in a brighter future. This year, the trust supported 671 young people – more than any other year since its inception.
“It is a really challenging time for all charities,” says the charity’s CEO, Frank Fletcher. “To do what we need to do for young people next summer, we need the support of the sailing community this Christmas. One of the greatest gifts you could give is a young person their future back after they have been through the trauma of cancer and treatment. We can only be there for them next summer and into the future with your help.”
The impact of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is illustrated by stories like Ben’s. Diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin lymphoma at 21 in 2020, Ben went through six months of chemotherapy. Now 26, he has sailed with the trust three times.
Ben (pictured left) shares: “I didn’t feel like I needed support. I felt like I was coping and had everything under control. But, my first trip with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust taught me to talk about my cancer, which helped me mentally and emotionally process the trauma of that time. On my second, I realised there were still more things to process. Then, after my third, it was like coming full circle.”
After subsequent trips, Ben realised there was still work to be done in his recovery. “Being surrounded by other young people talking about cancer in a free, darkly humorous, amazing way was a turning point for me. It knocked me sideways because I realised there was still work to be done. I started talking about it again after suppressing it. I replaced the wall I’d built with a bridge.
“Three years ago, I wouldn’t have talked about what appointment I was going to or when I’d had a bald head. Now, I can say I look good bald, and I’m able to show people a picture from that time.
“I didn’t ever want to be known as Ben, the one who has cancer. I wanted to be known as Ben, who is fun to be around and achieves things. Without the charity, who I really am would be a guarded secret, and there would be a wall hiding me from the outside world.”
The trust’s sailing and outdoor adventures provide young survivors with a space to laugh, have fun, and regain a sense of purpose and self-worth—crucial steps in adjusting to their “new normal” after cancer.
With the trust’s support, more young people like Ben will be able to believe in a brighter future in 2025. Donations to the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust this Christmas can help the charity continue its vital work.
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