Young cancer survivors from Glasgow are being invited on a sailing adventure with Dame Ellen MacArthur’s cancer charity this summer.

The charity provides an opportunity for the young people to connect with others who have faced similar challenges.

Shaun Donohoe, 26, a former patient at The Beatson for a brain tumour, was one of many who embarked on this adventure last summer.

Reflecting on his experience, Mr Donohoe said: "It’s kind of hard to talk about cancer with friends, family, people you’ve just met.

"They give you sympathy, rather than understanding.

Shaun Donohoe took part last year 
(Image: Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust)

"Sometimes you’re not really looking for that, you want someone who knows and has experience.

"You just want to talk about it.

"You want to process what’s happened, and I think that’s the same for others.

"After all your treatment is finished, it’s almost as if there is a waiting period of like, is it still there?

"Is it gone?"

Sharing experiences and making light of difficult situations helped Mr Donohoe and others to process their journeys in a positive way.

He said: "Obviously there is nothing positive about cancer, but there are things from this trip I will remember for many years to come.

"Crying with laughter.

"It’s been a wee second since that’s happened.

"It’s good to find people who have probably had the same thoughts as myself."

His experience underlines the challenges young people face even after receiving the all-clear.

The impact of cancer often extends to mental wellbeing and can lead to struggles with relationships, education, work experience, and body image issues.

Adjusting to this ‘new normal’ can be exceedingly difficult, and this is where the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust steps in.

Encapsulating his week with the Trust, Mr Donohoe added: "Although the cancers and tumours are all different, everyone there has been through the same thing.

"It feels great to talk about bits and bobs that have happened to us and take it all in.

"I think things like that are the best for dealing with it, because you get to process everything in a healthy way.

"Sailing has been amazing.

"You’re given the tools to make anything happen.

"It’s not all planned out, so what happens is special.

"I made memories, learned how to sail a yacht, made some great friends.

"It puts you on a high."

The charity welcomes Glasgow youth aged eight to 24 to embark on the sailing adventures and outdoor activities.

These young people gain a new sense of purpose and self-worth, rediscover their independence, and feel optimistic about their future.

Dame Ellen MacArthur, founder and patron of the charity, underscored this impact saying: "We see it time and time again.

"Young people arrive anxious and isolated.

"But they leave feeling part of something, accepted, independent, and optimistic.

"We are only able to support as many young people as we do thanks to the players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

"Because of them, thousands of young lives have been transformed after cancer through life-changing sailing and outdoor activity adventures.

“This summer we will welcome hundreds of young people from right across the UK who need post-treatment support.

"We will be there for them and they will believe in a brighter future.”

To find out more or to avail of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s support, visit ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org or email info@emcancertrust.org.