Dame Ellen MacArthur's cancer charity names its Volunteer of the Year for 2023
by Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust 29 Mar 12:14 EST
One of the Trust's flagship yachts, Solent Hero © Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust
After previously being supported by the charity himself, Martin Graham has been named volunteer of the year by Dame Ellen MacArthur's cancer charity for 'exemplifying the very essence of dedication and generosity'.
Martin, 31, from Antrim, was announced as the recipient of the award by the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust on Saturday (23 March) at the charity's annual training day for its volunteers.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a national charity that takes young people aged 8-24 on sailing and outdoor adventures to inspire them to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.
Martin was inspired to volunteer with the charity following the support he received from it when he was younger. In 2014, he sailed from Largs in Scotland after treatment for sarcoma in his leg, a kind of bone cancer.
After benefitting from two more sailing adventures in 2015 and 2017 from East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, he became a volunteer and now, as well as joining young cancer survivors on board the charity's yachts, he also dedicates his time to travelling with them to ensure they get to the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust's bases and back home safely.
Speaking about his favourite part of volunteering, Martin said: "I really love the difference it makes to young people. Those at the charity who know me know I was supported by the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust myself as a young person, a good ten years ago. I know first-hand the impact that it has."
He was commended for his dedication to getting young people to the location of trips, despite not always being able to attend the adventures himself. This once involved a flight from Belfast to Birmingham with a young person, then to the south of Wales where he accompanied three more young people, followed by an onward journey to the Isle of Wight to join a separate sailing trip, all in one day.
He emphasised the importance of this part of volunteering at the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust: "There may be cases where if I don't travel with young people, they won't be able to go on the trip and get the benefit of meeting others like them who have gone through the same thing. If I can do anything to help on that journey, I absolutely will.
"There have been several occasions where I've brought young people from across the country to their trip and picked them up again at the end of the week, having not joined them myself. Which is great in some ways because you get to see the difference it makes to them in the space of a week."
Martin was nominated for the award by the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust community, which includes the young people the charity supports, other volunteers, and its staff team.
One nomination said: "He was such an incredible volunteer this year, going above and beyond. I was astounded by his ability to step in last minute with mammoth travel responsibilities and to join a trip, and he did it all with a smile on his face and his cool, calm manner. I can't name one thing that makes him stand out as he just does so much for other people."
Presenting Martin with the award, Frank Fletcher, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust's CEO, said: "This year our Volunteer of the Year has exemplified the very essence of dedication and generosity. His unwavering commitment to going above and beyond the call of duty was recognised by all members of the judging panel.
"Martin's selflessness has made a profound impact, ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to experience our trips. His presence on our boats is led by his genuine care and concern for others. His dedication to our cause has been nothing short of extraordinary, and for that, we are eternally grateful."
When a young person gets the 'all clear', their whole world has changed. What happens after treatment can be as difficult as the treatment itself, if not even more so.
Because of cancer's impact on their mental wellbeing, simply picking up where they left off before their diagnosis just isn't possible for many young people.
At this stage in life, cancer often leads to lower educational achievement, relationship and friendships difficulties, body image issues, and/or ongoing late effects, such as extreme fatigue, infertility, osteoporosis, thyroid problems and hearing or vision loss.
Adjusting to this 'new normal' can be extremely difficult and isolating, which is why when treatment ends, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust's work begins.
Through the charity's sailing and outdoor adventures, young people laugh, gain a new sense of purpose and self-worth, rediscover their independence, and feel optimism for the future. They realise what they are capable of and stop feeling like 'the only one'. They start to re-establish their purpose and place in the world and believe in a brighter future.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust's Luke Gilbert Volunteer of the Year Award was introduced in 2017 in celebration of the charity's legendary volunteer. Luke's incredible personality, sense of humour, enthusiasm, compassion and huge amount of fun made him an inspiration to everyone he met. The annual award winners will have demonstrated all the qualities Luke embodied.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is there for anyone looking for support, no matter how long off treatment they are. Visit www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org or follow @emctrust on social media.