'Cancer in young people is a taboo topic, but it shouldn't be' says young Merseyside cancer survivor
Young cancer survivor from The Wirral reiterates the importance of an open dialogue around cancer in young people during sailing adventure with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust in Largs, Scotland.
There are still opportunities for other young people from across Merseyside to get onboard this summer as the charity sets sail for 2024.
Shocked at how much she has grown in the 18 months since her treatment, Mel Kelly, 23, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour, wants to raise awareness of charities like the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and the difference that they can make to young people’s livelihoods and confidence, including her own.
Mel said: “It’s so important that charities like this exist to show that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and things do get better. We’re all here today, and everything happens for a reason. We’re all here at the same time, we’re meant to be here.
“This is so special to me and so important to society, because young people are the future generation. If they’ve had a diagnosis and then just get it left, it’s not beneficial for the whole of society in the future.
“Cancer happens every day. I had brain tumour myself, and somebody gets diagnosed every 46 minutes. It’s chronic and people don’t understand that. It needs to be spoken about more. Cancer in young people is such a taboo topic, but it shouldn’t be.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust takes young people aged 18-24 on sailing and outdoor adventures to inspire them to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.
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 - if not even more so. This is not understood or talked about as much as it should be, leading young people to feel like they are the only one finding life after cancer just as hard.
Once their treatment has finished, they are often left with fewer friends and struggle with relationships, their education suffers, 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.
They start to re-establish their purpose and place in the world and believe in a brighter future.
Reflecting on her journey, she said: “It’s the fear of the unknown. None of us know if it’s going to come back, or potentially, when it’s going to come back and what that might actually look like. For now, we need to live each day as it comes and see every challenge as an opportunity to grow, get better and keep developing as young people. At the end of the day, I’m still Mel, I’ve just had a touch cancer.
“It’s crazy how much I’ve grown in such a short space of time. I can push myself and do things that I wouldn’t necessarily do otherwise. These trips have definitely helped me develop confidence again and rebuild a new life after cancer.”
Founder and Patron of the charity, Dame Ellen MacArthur, said: “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.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is there for anyone looking for support, no matter how long off treatment they are. Visit ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org or follow @emctrust on social media.