A young cancer survivor from Hull said his life has been transformed after signing up for a charity’s free sailing trip.
Thomas Pawson, 28, went on a sailing adventure with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust from Largs, Scotland, on June 9. He was diagnosed with two brain tumours at the start of 2017 and given the all-clear later that year.
But he suffered long-term side effects such as chronic fatigue, which he felt others didn’t understand, leaving him feeling lonely. He ended up being diagnosed with anxiety and depression.
Thomas said: “People don’t think about the long-term aftereffects of cancer. Like, for example, I’ve got chronic fatigue and an impaired immune system, but people don’t get that. I can get more unwell than most, and people are like, ‘Oh well, it’s just you trying to get out of doing things’. No, I’m not.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust takes young people on sailing and outdoor adventures to inspire them to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.
(Image: Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust)
Reflecting on his five-day sailing adventure, Thomas said: “Before I found this Trust and these trips, I felt quite lonely. I ended up getting diagnosed with anxiety and depression.
“I came here and made friends. I’ve got a friend on one of the other boats I met on a trip last year and we haven’t stopped talking since.
“With other people from last time, I’ve got a WhatsApp group. So there’s a little community where we can all hear each other’s stories.
“And it’s just calming. If you’re not particularly well or up for doing something one day, you can take your time and relax. If you want to get involved, there’s plenty to do. I like helming and sailing through the Kyles of Bute.”
(Image: Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust)
Thomas had previously sailed with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust in Largs twice before, in 2024 and 2019. He described his time with the charity as ‘the most unreal experience of my life’ and has ‘loved every second of it’.
There are still a few places available on the charity’s adventures this summer for young people looking for support after treatment. They – or their parents – can sign up directly via the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust website.
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, the charity said.
Once their treatment has finished, they are often left with fewer friends and struggle with relationships. Education can suffer, 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.