Chloe

Chloe was treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital for a Ewings Sarcoma and first sailed with the Trust in 2008.  She returned in 2009 to crew on the first leg of the Round Britain voyage.  Her story and positive outlook on life is inspirational.

When Chloe, 13, first noticed a swollen lump on her leg she thought it was a sporting injury.  After getting it checked out, she was diagnosed with a Ewings Sarcoma. ‘When I found out I had bone cancer I was like ‘what?!!!’  The word is so scary, and I thought everyone died from cancer. ’  Chloe spent a year in and out of hospital receiving chemotherapy with six weeks of radiotherapy.  This made her exhausted, sick, everything she ate tasted horrible, and she lost her hair.

Chloe’s mum Maxine recalls ‘Before treatment Chloe didn’t look ill, but once chemo started, you could physically see the changes. It broke my heart to watch her go through so much and be powerless to do anything. Chloe took it all in her stride though, even when her hair fell out she didn’t care, and looked on the funny side.’

After chemotherapy, Chloe then had to have an endoprosthetic replacement or ‘metal leg’ as she calls it. - a serious operation to replace the eroded bone.  Whilst recovering and still on crutches, Chloe was invited on her first Trust sailing trip.  ‘I just assumed with my leg I wouldn’t be able to do it, but discovered I could, and met people who had been through similar things. One volunteer had an operation like mine the year before and was walking without her crutches, which made me think I want to get off my crutches too!’

Last year Chloe returned with the help of just one crutch to sail from Cowes to Dover on the first leg of our Round Britain voyage. ‘It was amazing, something I could never have imagined I’d achieve. Cath Karen, Dan and the rest of the crew were so nice and it was really peaceful on the water, I even saw a dolphin! Sailing with the Trust always makes me feel more positive and energized!’

Further to her initial treatment, Chloe needed a full hip replacement last summer, and was back on crutches again for a while, but is applying to University to study psychology and will be taking part in our volunteer training this year.

Maxine says ’Chloe has never used her leg as an excuse to not do anything.  She was quite shy before she was ill but after all she’s been through and sailing with the Trust she’s gained so much confidence.  Now Chloe just wants to live life to the full!’

Chloe’s positive attitude and the way she has worked so hard to achieve her goals will make her a true inspiration to those sailing for the first time, at the beginning of their recovery journey.