'Being able to come here and have fun, we can be childlike again' says young cancer survivor

There are a few final spaces available for young people to get on board with the charity this summer.

Amber Cunningham-Rogan, 25, was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2021. After spending years engulfed by the seriousness of cancer and having a cancer diagnosis, last week, she enjoyed the opportunity to be ‘silly’ and get away from her ‘stressful daily life’.

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.

Amber sailing with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.

Amber said: “I have a chronic cancer, so I was treated at home most of the time. I’ve only met one other person that has the same diagnosis as me and has cancer. It’s been really nice to come and listen to everybody’s stories and meet people who have gone through similar experiences.

“I’ve been able to connect with other young people with a cancer diagnosis. The sailing is such a good way to get to know people you’re working as a team and learning new skills, as well as living together and having fun with everything. When you put a lot of people in a boat together, it’s almost impossible to not make lifelong friends because you’re living in such close proximity to everyone else.”

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.

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 charity’s work begins.

At the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, young people swap the seriousness of their diagnosis for the fun of sailing and outdoor adventures. Through these, 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.

They start to re-establish their purpose and place in the world and believe in a brighter future.

Reflecting on the trip and the importance of enjoyment during and after tough times, she added: “Cancer is so serious and having a cancer diagnosis, a lot of the talk around that or in hospitals is really serious. Being able to come here and have fun, we can be childlike again.

“I’m a bubbly person. I really enjoy being with people and creating communities. I’m extroverted. I’d like people to see these more than the cancer, but also be aware of what I’ve gone through.”

Founder and Patron of the charity, Dame Ellen MacArthur, said: “We see it time and time again. Young people arrive anxious and isolated. But they leave feeling part of something, accepted, independent, and optimistic.

“We are only able to support as many young people as we do thanks to the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Because of them, thousands of young lives have been transformed after cancer through life-changing sailing and outdoor activity adventures.

“This summer we will welcome hundreds of young people from right across the UK who need post-treatment support. We will be there for them and they will believe in a brighter future.”

The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is there for anyone looking for support, no matter how long off treatment they are. Visit ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org or follow @emctrust on social media.