A 21 YEAR old Colwyn Bay woman, recovering from cancer, now looks on life with optimism after experiencing the sailing trip of a lifetime with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust off the west coast of Scotland.

Katie Dennison-Strachan was 19 when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After her treatment, which consisted of a nine hour operation to remove her entire thyroid, along with muscles, lymph nodes, and nerves, she was left with significant fatigue.

Katie said: “I lost a lot of energy, I was in a wheelchair for a while. I got to a point where my day literally consisted of sleeping until my radiotherapy appointment, being driven to the appointment, having it, driven home, and then just sleeping until the next appointment.”

Following the initial surgery, she had reconstructive surgery on her nerves, as well as radio iodine and six weeks of maximum dose radiotherapy. The radiotherapy lead to second degree burns on the inside and outside of her throat and around her shoulders. Because of the damage on the inside, I couldn’t eat or drink for a long time, so I lost a lot of weight.”

Katie is currently studying in Liverpool to become a nurse. She said the sailing trip gave her the chance to be around young people going through the same thing and her confidence experienced a massive boost.

She added: “It’s such a bizarre thing to go sailing and then have more confidence in yourself, but because it’s something so out of the blue, and then I was able to successfully carry it out, I feel more confident in my abilities to do new things. My confidence in myself is higher.

“It’s such a bizarre thing to go sailing and then have more confidence in yourself, but because it’s something so out of the blue, and then I was able to successfully carry it out, I feel more confident in my abilities to do new things.”

Between the start of June and end of September, no fewer than 31 trips are set to take place. These are both on the water and at the outdoor activity centres the Trust partners with across the country.

Launched in 2003, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a national charity that rebuilds confidence after cancer, using sailing to support, empower and inspire young people aged 8-24 in re-engaging with life and embracing their futures with optimism.

If you know someone who is struggling or could simply do with a bit of support, however long off treatment they are, the Trust would love to hear from them: www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org/news/know-someone-who-could-benefit-from-a-trip-send-them-our-way/