Sound Waves

Last week, we heard from Amber, who had a multi-year experience with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and now she was looking forward to whatever comes her way in life. 

This week, we're talking with Sophia, who came sailing with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust for the first time this summer.

It's one of our most in-depth episodes yet: Sophia generously talks about her diagnosis, the isolation of treatment, the need for support after treatment ends. 

She stresses the importance of talking to people with a diagnosis, even if it's hard. 

And how a sailing adventure wasn't one big thing, but lots of little things - the journey, the new friends, being among the outdoors, learning together - that made a big difference.

It's been a while - hello!

In this episode, we catch up with Amber, who came sailing in Largs every year from 2023-2025. 

Now that her time with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is complete, it was the perfect opportunity to look back over it all. What did it all mean, how did it change her, what has she taken with her? 

It's a deep dive into Amber's story, beginning with her diagnosis and taking us up to today, and how the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust shaped her destination. 

We chat too about the monthly mental wellbeing sessions she joined with our friends at Mind Over Cancer, applications for which are still open until 18 September 2026.

Find out details at ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org. 

Ever wondered what happens at one of our volunteer training days?

Here to tell you everything about 2024's training event, which was held towards the end of March in Birmingham, are Volunteer & Team Development Manager Krissi and newly anointed Luke Gilbert Volunteer of the Year Martin. 

They tell us everything from the vibes on the day to what they got out of it, and about the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging playing such a big factor in the event. 

And of course we talk about Martin's Volunteer of the Year win too! 

About a year ago, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust launched Bigger Impact, Brighter Futures - Our Ambitions 2023-2025. So, how are we doing?

Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust CEO Frank Fletcher, Communications Manager Karenza, and Operations Manager in Largs James chat about the last 12 months, what progress has been made on the Ambitions, and what the future has in store. 

These Ambitions help us keep track of how we are doing so we can keep learning and improving.  Most importantly, they put inspiring young people to believe in a brighter future at the heart of everything we do.

Read the accompanying blog here: https://www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org/news/ambitions-23-25-year1 

Since Hana was diagnosed with cancer, since she came sailing with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, life has been a whirlwind. 

On this episode of Sound Waves, she talks about her passion for environmentalism and how her diagnosis made her think of the Earth’s ill health too. In the last few years, she has been a voice of youth at international conferences, including the COPs.

She tells us about the challenges of being diagnosed during her studies, how stays in hospital gave her time to research the climate crisis, and how the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust spurred her on to do even more for the planet's future. 

At the end of a trip, some young people talk to us about their week. 

We ask them about their time with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, how it’s helped, what they’ll take with them. 

Their words are all over our website, our social media, Inspire magazine, and everything we do. 

The voices of young people are essential in telling the story of the Trust. They are the reason for everything we do. 

This episode is just a small snippet of summer 2023, about community and feeling understood. This is what it's all about. 

Thank you to: 
Izzy
Shaheed
Emily
Dylan
Omar
Gabby & Mufaro
Sam
Joe & Luke
Victoria
Sophie & Shell

And everyone who told us their story this year. See you in 2024!

You might have seen that Dame Ellen MacArthur, our patron and founder, recently met up with a young woman called Maxine, who was part of the first ever Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust sailing adventure 20 years ago in 2003. 

She was just 10 at the time, and now she’s reunited with Ellen ahead of her 31st birthday.

This episode, in celebration of the Trust's 20th anniversary, is their conversation.

It's wonderful to hear Maxine talk about the impact of a sailing adventure 20 years ago and how it’s shaped her life ever since. Ellen also shares how and why the Trust was set up in 2003, and where the inspiration for the charity came from.

The things we can do to support young people living through and beyond cancer now, today, can change the years and decades ahead of them. As Ellen says in this conversation with Maxine, this is what it’s all about. 

Happy Pride month!

It's important to understand how someone's cancer diagnosis intersects with their LGBTQ identity. Both are significant, both have their own communities, and there are bridges that can be built between the two. 

Three Trust graduate volunteers - Amelia, Ivans, Louise - share their experiences with cancer and being part of the LGBTQ community, and why taking people as they are entirely, as their genuine selves, matters so much.

They also discuss being part of the Trust community and how essential safe and inclusive spaces are for people to feel a sense of acceptance, especially while living through and beyond cancer. 

Our ‘Build Belonging’ Ambition says we will ‘be visible, relevant and accessible to every young person who has a cancer diagnosis in the UK and be somewhere every one feels they belong.’ 

It is so important young people feel they belong when they come on a Trust adventure. But what does 'belonging' mean? It is hard to put your finger on. You know it when you feel it, and we seek it out in our lives. 

Lauren was supported by the Trust for a few years before going on to become a volunteer. She's been supported and now does the supporting; she's felt that belonging and sees it in others too. She shares what it looks like for her, why it matters, and how the Trust is currently getting it right. 

It's the Trust's 20th birthday in July. What better reason to sit down with CEO Frank Fletcher, who's been involved since day 1, and have a gab about the last 20 years. 

From supporting five young people in 2003, to over 700 in 2023, so much has happened, so much has changed, and we talk all about it here. It's the longest episode in Sound Waves history, yet it could have been ten times longer. 

There are so many stories to tell, and we sincerely hope you enjoy hearing about just some of them.