My Story

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.

On February 9th 2015 at 3:30pm my world came to a standstill when our 11 year old daughter Isabel was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. The impact of treatment on a child is not only physically debilitating, it takes a huge toll on their self confidence and many of the things that make them happy are taken from them.

When we heard about the possiblity of a sailing trip with EMCT, three months into treatment, it gave us all something to look forward to. When the time arrived, I couldn't have predicted the difference it would make, there really is something magic in the way the trips are run which helps the children and young people rebuild their confidence.

Ten years later, Isabel is studying at Uni and I am running the Marathon to raise funds for this amazing charity, which was so generously started by one person who wanted to make a difference to the lives of seriously ill children. EMCT certainly does that. I hope I can do you proud.