Ellen MacArthur cancer trust takes young survivors sailing
Dame Ellen MacArthur's cancer trust organized a sailing trip for young cancer survivors to aid their recovery.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Dame Ellen MacArthur, best known for her record-breaking solo circumnavigation of the globe, is now using her sailing expertise to help young cancer survivors rebuild their lives. Her charity, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, recently took a group of young people on a sailing trip off the Isle of Wight, offering them a chance to experience the water, make new friends, and talk about their experiences if they choose.
The trips are free and cater for young people aged 8 to 24, divided into age groups. Alongside sailing, there is time to socialise and relax. The trust was inspired more than 20 years ago when Dame Ellen met young French cancer patients through a fellow sailor. Since then, thousands of young people have taken part.
Speaking on board the trust's new boat, Dame Ellen said she enjoys sailing more than ever, especially when sharing it with the young people. "You can see it, you can feel it," she said. "It's quite extraordinary to see that face change."
One participant, Lyla, was steering a yacht for the first time. She said she loved it and valued the chance to spend time with others who had been through similar experiences. "Some of us are happy to talk about it, some of us we just don't really, but that's okay," she said. "When we have events like this and we get to meet other people that have been through what we've been through, it's quite nice to feel included again."
Another young sailor, who had never been on a boat before, said: "I get to know people as well, with the same experience and everything. We haven't really spoken about the cancer much. We've just spoken about them. We're just starting to get to know each other, really."
Volunteers play a key role. Ruby, who first sailed with the trust at age 11, is now helping out and working towards qualifications to become crew. She said Uno is the best icebreaker and that she can relate to the young people on board. "It is just nice to try and recreate all that magic that I had when I was younger," she said.
Also volunteering was Max Paschel, a paediatric cancer surgeon. He said it was brilliant to see young people outside a hospital environment. "They know that there's life beyond cancer," he said. "Some of them will have never met another child with cancer, you know, so because children's cancer is really rare... for me, it's brilliant to see them doing things after they've finished treatment."
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust operates boats in Scotland and the Isle of Wight, offering sailing and outdoor adventures. Its aim is simple: to help youngsters through tough times, to socialise, to sail, and above all, to smile.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| The charity was inspired by Dame Ellen meeting young French cancer patients through a fellow sailor 23 years ago. | |
| The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust offers free sailing trips for young people aged 8 to 24. | |
| The trust has boats located in Scotland and the Isle of Wight. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report is a warm, human-interest feature that focuses on the emotional and social benefits of the sailing trips for young cancer survivors. It gives significant airtime to participants' voices and the charity's founder, Dame Ellen MacArthur, highlighting the transformative power of shared experience and the outdoors. The tone is positive and uplifting, with no critical or political angles.
- “I think I enjoy sailing more than I ever did. And actually the most amazing way to be on the water is to share it with the young people because you can see it, you can feel it.”
- “Getting to spend time with people that have experienced the same thing you've gone through. Some of us are happy to talk about it, some of us we just don't really, but that's okay and it's like we just have regular conversations like normal people do.”
- “For me, it's brilliant to see all these young people outside of a hospital environment where they're scared and they've got lots of treatments which change their lives completely.”
Broadcast Timeline
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