Raising money and awareness around the world with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust

More than £16,000 has been raised so far in the 2013-14 Clipper Race for official charity, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.

Teams have been raising money and awareness for the Trust set up by legendary yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur that works with every young person’s primary cancer care unit in the UK.

The charity gives young people aged 8 and 24 in recovery from cancer the chance to rebuild their confidence through sailing.

This money has been raised by the support of individual crew members, by the teams and sponsors OneDLL and PSP Logistics and members of the public attending the Race Start Village at St Katharine Docks in London last year.

The Trust’s CEO, Frank Fletcher says: “I would like to say a huge thank you to the Clipper Round the World Race for choosing us as the Official Charity for the race. These funds will go such a long way in helping us achieve our three year plan to double the number of young people we work with by 2016. The £16,000 raised so far will enable us to take an additional 32 young people on a first time sailing trip with the Trust - thank you.” 

Trust ambassador Kirstie Reid, a 21 year-old from Aberdeen, was 16 when she was diagnosed with Biphasic Synovial Sarcoma in 2009, a rare type of cancer that formed in the joint of her left shoulder. Last September, she joined the crew of the GREAT Britain entry in London to race Leg 1 to Brazil. In June this year, Lucie Carrington, a 25 year old from Lancaster will take the EMCT baton to race in Leg 8 from New York back to London raising money and awareness for the Trust. At just 15, Lucie was diagnosed with a Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone and soft tissue cancer in her left arm.

To find out more and show your support for the races official charity, visit the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust webpage http://www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org/