More young cancer survivors will be able to receive the vital support they need after treatment as the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust officially welcomed a new boat to its fleet on Thursday, 13 March on the Solent.
Dame Ellen MacArthur was joined by special guests, including many who have made the new boat possible, for the naming of the Beneteau Oceanis 46.1, Kalooki, at Buckler's Hard on the banks of the Beaulieu River in Hampshire.
At 46ft (over 14m), Kalooki is longer and wider than the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s other boats, allowing more young people to experience its transformational adventures, while bespoke accessibility adaptations mean more of those who need additional support with their mobility can benefit from the charity’s support.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a national charity that takes young people aged 8-24 living through and beyond cancer on sailing and outdoor adventure trips to inspire them to believe in a brighter future. In 2024, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust supported 671 young people – the most since it was founded in 2003.
With demand for trip places projected to increase further in the coming years, Kalooki will allow more children, teenagers and young adults to access the vital support they need after the life-changing trauma of cancer treatment.
Through the generosity of a gentleman, who was an ardent sailor and who enthusiastically supported the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust over many years, the charity is absolutely delighted to be the recipient of this newly built 46ft yacht Kalooki. It is with much heartfelt appreciation and great expectation that Kalooki is officially named today.
She was adapted under the expertise of Ancasta Yacht Services at Port Hamble Marina and with advice from 28-year-old George Paxford, who first sailed with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust in 2009 following treatment for bone cancer in his leg and had an above-knee amputation after the cancer returned in 2018.
George, who now volunteers for the charity, helped map out ways of making Kalooki more accessible to help young people rediscover their independence and sense of possibility after cancer.
