The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is delighted to once again be the Official Race Charity of Round the Island Race in 2023. This charity is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, having been launched by Dame Ellen MacArthur in July 2003. Five young people went sailing that first summer with the Trust and now almost 2,900 young people have been part of their transformational sailing adventures.
Since becoming the Race charity in 2005, over £300,000 has been raised for the Trust, enabling the charity to support hundreds of young people post-treatment. No fewer than 24 young people will once again be taking part in the Race across four boats this year.
To mark this special occasion, Race entrants are encouraged to make a positive difference in young people’s lives this summer by joining the charity’s #200for20 Birthday Challenge, which is launching on the day of the Race, Saturday 1st July. Competitors and friends of the Race will be encouraged to raise £200 which will help the Trust support up to 750 young people this year – more than ever before – as they take the next steps after their cancer treatment.
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. When treatment ends the Trust’s work begins, because for many simply picking up where they left off before their diagnosis just isn’t possible.
One of the young people is Sonal, who was first supported by the Trust in 2021 after treatment for refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, which she was diagnosed with five years ago. She returned for a four-day sailing trip from East Cowes in 2022, and will sail as part of the Trust’s crew for the Race this summer.