15 June 2026
Each week, the BBC Radio 4 Appeal highlights a charity and the difference it makes with an appeal for donations.
We are delighted the story of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s magic will be broadcast across the UK on Sunday 26 July at 7:54am and 9:25pm, and on Thursday 30 July at 3:27pm.
This is a major chance to spread the word of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and to inspire donors and fundraisers to brighten young people’s futures.
One of those young people is 26-year-old Tegan, whose story will be shared by Dame Ellen MacArthur in the broadcast. Tegan sailed with us for the first time in Largs last summer and is looking forward to returning in July.
Diagnosed in 2018, it was only once she finished uni and had gotten her ‘big girl job’ years later Tegan found herself reflecting on how no one gets what she’s been through. Ahead of the BBC Radio 4 Appeal, meet Tegan, in her own words.
My name is Tegan and I had non-Hodgkin lymphoma, diagnosed when I was 18.
I had just started university in London when I began to feel ill. I was excited about my degree, but I had to keep going back to the doctor when things weren’t getting any better. At first, we all thought it was just ‘freshers flu’. I was alone when they told me I had blood cancer.
My family came, I got transferred to Leeds, and there was one moment where I got told I could die. From then on, that wasn’t a thought. It was positivity across the board. ‘You’re gonna get through this’.
I've literally been told since being on treatment to go on an Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust trip. I always said I will, but then a couple of years passed, you kind of get your life back together.
After uni, I was a couple of years into my big girl job and just felt like, ‘no one gets it’. Cancer is not just when you have it, it’s all the after-effects you don’t think about.
I had fertility treatment three years later, which is a big jump in time. I still feel fatigued, and work in a demanding environment. All my friends would go out on weekends, and I just don’t have it in me. I’d wonder if there’s something wrong with me.
I’m at a point in life where my friends don’t really understand what I’m going through, and I wanted to connect with people my age who have been through something I’ve been through.
Arriving in Largs
Straight away I saw the marina was so beautiful. Whatever happened, I knew I could take myself away. I could sit on my own and have a bit of reflection time. Everyday life is like ‘what’s the next thing?’ over and over, so this felt peaceful.
I got on the boat, and it was a judgement-free zone. You don’t know anyone going into this, so you’re really putting yourself out there. A few minutes after we all met, we knew we’d have a good few days. The dynamic was special.
I never thought I’d be around people who had been through what I’ve been through ever again or find people I could relate to, or who could relate to me. The sense of community is unparalleled. Everyone is there for the sole purpose of making people’s lives a bit better.
Rest and rediscovery
Being out on the water…I don’t know what the opposite of eerie is. It’s quiet, it’s calm. But it’s so vibrant at the same time. You’ve got bright green rolling hills. You have the most orange sunset you’ve ever seen in your life. Just sitting in front of a sunset by yourself for 10 minutes really clears your head. I rediscovered things about myself, like my passion, my drive, and my peace as well.
A big takeaway was sometimes you actually do need to stop and reflect. You might need to get out of your natural environment to do that.
I had never taken the time to dial it back. When I did, it put a lot of things into perspective. Then I could champion how far I’ve come.
Every day is not going to be easy. I’ve been through quite a lot and so has my body. Take the time out to rest and appreciate what you’ve been through. When I feel different to everybody else, that’s okay. That’s my normal and it’s about being comfortable in my own normal.
Watch her share her story below...