Meet the Crew: Theresia Cadwallader

Meet the Clipper 2019-20 Race Crew

Name: Theresia Cadwallader

Age: 60

Occupation: Self-employed Jewellery Designer

Nationality: British

Hometown: Merseyside

Leg: 5

Team: Dare to Lead

Theresia Cadwallader, who was a former Civil Engineer, has now taken a new career path as a Jewellery Designer, but that is not her new challenge in her life. Having previously taken up dinghy sailing, and sailing on holidays in different destinations, nothing has reached the scale of crossing open oceans. However, her true inspiration for taking this leap of faith from her comfort zone and take part in the Clipper Race comes from her son’s love for sailing. After unfortunately, finding out that her son had a severe traumatic brain injury, Leeds Hospital were truly amazing in the care and everything they did to help save her son. Theresia wants to help give back to say thank you for the astounding work they have done, by fundraising so they can continue to help others.

Theresia said: “He was lucky to be treated at the Neuro Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the LGI and they saved his life through their dedication, skill, hard work and willingness to think outside the box. He was very ill and had to stay in their care for six weeks until he was stable enough to move to other units - the ward was our home too for those six weeks. After eight months in hospital, he underwent five years’ intensive rehabilitation, he is still improving.”

She has been encouraged by her friends and family to take part in the race, not only for herself but for her son too. The Clipper Race will give her the once in a lifetime experience to cross oceans, further her knowledge and increase her sailing miles. With her ultimate goal relaying her knowledge giving her the chance to take this experience one step further, to get her son back to sailing - his passion in life.

Theresia will be leaving the Whitsundays, Australia, to sail to Sanya, China, onto Subic Bay, Philippines, and complete her experience in Zhuhai, China. Choosing Leg 5 was important to Theresia, with having family in Sydney and in Brisbane, creating a special connection and importance to her in this leg.

This experience will allow her to soak up the whole adventure, to say she has achieved something remarkable and proud to say that she has accomplished; crossing the equator, the wrath of the doldrums and the tough climate conditions, just to name a few.

Sailing with the sense of freedom in the vast open ocean is something that Theresia is looking forward to. She said she is excited to “be doing something different from my daily routine, to have new experiences that will challenge me physically, mentally and just enjoying the sailing. Freedom. I’m looking forward to spending time, working and living as a team on board.”

She will face the most challenging aspect of leaving her loving family behind whilst she takes on her next challenge, but in the same moment spurring her towards her goals. She hopes spending more time on the water this summer with a difference of getting her son back on the water for his dream to continue sailing whilst teaching him all about her Clipper Race journey, inspiring his dreams.

If you feel inspired by Theresia’s story and if you want to achieve your own remarkable journey, take action now and sign up to the Clipper 2022-21 Race, or follow the current race and read the daily crew blogs to get further insight into what you could experience.