Sailing star steers kids through cancer fight
YACHTSWOMAN’S CHARITY HELPS YOUNGSTERS RECOVER – THANKS TO PEOPLE’S POSTCODE LOTTERY
BIG-HEARTED players of People’s Postcode Lottery know they are helping to change lives for the better.
Right now, in every community, in every corner of Britain, thousands of good causes – all of them driven by an amazing army of staff and volunteers – have been doing whatever it takes to keep charities going in face of tough challenges during the pandemic.
And People’s Postcode Lottery players offer these good causes hope for the future as a minimum of 33 per cent of ticket sales goes to charities.
EMOTIONAL EFFECTS
One of these charities is the Ellen Macarthur Cancer Trust, which supports children and young people aged eight to 24 to rebuild their confidence after cancer. Its founder and patron is yachtswoman Dame Ellen, who in 2005 broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe.
For many young people in recovery, the mental and emotional after-effects of cancer are as difficult as the physical, and simply picking up where they left off before their diagnosis is often not possible.
They can be hindered by chronic shyness and anxiety from missing day-to-day interaction with people, get left behind as friends grow up, and face the complex anger of survivor guilt.
The Trust, which has so far received £3.2million from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, tries to change that, through sailing and outdoor adventure trips. With these activities, young people rebuild their confidence to get back into education and employment. They can also make new friends, have fun and simply enjoy being young. Dame Ellen says: “We want to make sure every single young person, who is living through and beyond cancer in the UK, understands the opportunities the Trust offers so we can help inspire them to believe in a brighter future through our work. “Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have been massive supporters of all that we’ve done and have had a huge impact on hundreds of young lives.” Here four brave young people share how Trust trips helped them deal with their cancer…
Lewis Aldersley, Coventry
“It is an amazing experience to be able to sit on a boat because, having had my leg amputated, I thought there was much I wasn’t going to be able to do.
“Knowing now I can get on a boat perfectly fine has helped me take each day as it comes. Now I’m determined to take on the world.”
Isaac Stevenson, Durham
“I don’t really feel as lonely as
I do in the outside world because on Trust trips everyone has had cancer and, where I live, only a handful of people have cancer.” Victoria Sanches, Dundee “The Trust showed me that my illness doesn’t have to stop me from trying new things and doing everything I want to do. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the support and confidence the Trust has given me.”
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have been massive supporters of all that we’ve done and have had a huge impact on hundreds of young lives
Dame Ellen Macarthur
Athena Jamaranian, Ascot
“Cancer can be, and was for me, a lonely experience of not being around many people who share the same experience and can cope together.
“But with everyone I met on the trip, we looked after one another and had that mutual experience to bring us closer and make our bond that much stronger.”
*Since People’s Postcode Lottery was launched in 2005 more than £750million has been awarded to charities and good causes.