The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust takes young people aged 8-24 sailing in order to help them regain their confidence following treatment for cancer.
Recovery takes a long time, even after medical treatment has ended, and by taking groups of youngsters sailing for four days, the Trust enables them to reassert their independence, mix with their peers and gain a sense of control over their lives.
It’s probably the first time each young person has been away from their parents since diagnosis and during that time they can become hugely isolated, spending a lot of time in hospital and with adults rather than people of their own age.
A sailing yacht provides a testing, but safe and supportive environment where they can become absorbed in a new adventure.
After their initial sailing trip, youngsters are invited back to participate in related activities such as the Round The Island Race.
Dream Sailing, charter managers for the 27 metre sailing yacht, Dark Star in UK waters for the summer, have invited some of those youngsters to join them aboard Dark Star as she joins the race this June.
Michelle Blore Dream Sailing CEO says, “We’re hoping for a beautiful May and June in the UK this year because Dark Star will be stopping off in the Isle of Wight on her way back from the Caribbean. She’ll be arriving in Cowes in mid-May and staying for the Round The Island Race at the end of June. It’ll certainly be a bit different to be sailing in the Solent again and we intend to have lots of fun.”
“Everyone at here is very excited to be working with the official Race charity, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. Dark Star’s owner has very generously donated four days aboard to the Trust, including Race day, so we’ll have a group of young people on board, as well as Ellen herself.”