A 17-year-old from Rye has enjoyed a transformational sailing adventure with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust from Largs, Scotland, admitting that the five-day experience made her feel at ease and removed from her busy everyday life.
Meg Wells was diagnosed with adrenal carcinoma in 2016. She set sail with the charity to make new friends and be more sociable.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust 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.
Meg said: “My treatment was such a long time ago now. It’s coming up to eight years. I have a hearing issue from my diagnosis now and I’m not the same as I used to be. From my treatment, I’ve always had anxiety. There are some people on this trip who had cancer at a similar age, so we can talk about missing out on those childhood things that you’ve missed out on.
“A lot of people think when you come on the trips, you’re just going to talk about having cancer. Whereas that’s not the reality, because it’s not just doom and gloom. It’s about trying to bring positivity and instil confidence in yourself because I think everyone’s lost confidence after their treatment.
“You find people your age. I’m friends with some people who are younger than me, but it’s nice having people that I know that can look up to me as well.”
Cancer can have a big impact on a young person’s mental wellbeing beyond treatment, and what happens afterwards can often be as difficult as treatment itself – if not even more so. This is not understood or talked about as much as it should be, leading young people to feel like they are the only one finding life after cancer just as hard.
Once their treatment has finished, they are often left with fewer friends and struggle with relationships, their education suffers, they miss out on work experience, and they develop body image issues. Late effects of being diagnosed young include infertility, extreme fatigue, osteoporosis, thyroid problems, and hearing or vision loss.
Adjusting to this ‘new normal’ can be extremely difficult, which is why when treatment ends, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s work begins.
Through the charity’s sailing and outdoor adventures, young people gain a new sense of purpose and self-worth, rediscover their independence, and feel optimistic about what comes next in life. They realise what they are capable of, stop feeling like ‘the only one’, and their mental wellbeing improves.
Reflecting on the experience, Meg added: “My favourite part of sailing is when I’m steering the boat because I feel really relaxed and peaceful. It’s quite far removed from my busy everyday life. Looking out into the ocean and trying to find something to direct the boat on really makes me feel at ease.
“The sailing is important, but I’d say the social side of the trip is as well. You have to go out of your comfort zone because to get the most out of the trip you have to put yourself out there. The social scene, the UNO, the dance offs and even walking around the marina together is what makes the trip so fun and special.”
Image Credits: Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust .