Hundreds of young cancer survivors from across the UK are looking forward to inspirational sailing adventures from Largs Marina this summer, as the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is set for its biggest year yet.
Dame Ellen MacArthur's nationwide charity will support over 700 young people this year – an increase from 636 in 2023 – with hundreds of them spending three or four nights sailing from Largs.
Trips will run from the marina from June 3 through to September 12, and will include those being supported by the charity for the first time and those who are returning for more.
Amber Cunningham-Rogan, 24, from Dundee, was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2021. Last year, she spent four days with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust in Largs and will join them again this summer.
She said: “A lot of my friends who haven’t gone through cancer, they just do not understand what it’s like. I felt quite alone with my diagnosis and when going through treatment.
“Everyone at the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust understands if you’re feeling tired or fatigued, or if you’re having side effects from medication.
“It’s about turning negatives into positives. It’s really amazing to talk and have a laugh about funny things that happened in hospital that other people wouldn’t get.
“But also just the understanding as well, because everyone there knows what it’s like when a lot of people really don’t.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a national charity that takes young people aged 8-24 on sailing and outdoor adventures to inspire them to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.
Founder and Patron of the charity, Dame Ellen MacArthur, said: “We see it time and time again. Young people arrive anxious and isolated. But they leave feeling part of something, accepted, independent, and optimistic.
“We are only able to support as many young people as we do thanks to the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Because of them, thousands of young lives have been transformed after cancer through life-changing sailing and outdoor activity adventures.
“This summer we will welcome hundreds of young people from right across the UK who need post-treatment support. We will be there for them and they will believe in a brighter future.”
If you or someone you know could benefit from the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s support, visit ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org or email info@emcancertrust.org.
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