A dedicated mate has been recognised as Volunteer of the Year for ‘giving his whole heart’ by Dame Ellen MacArthur’s national charity for young cancer survivors.
Michael Green, 62, from Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, was awarded at the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s annual volunteer training conference on 21 March. On receiving the award, Michael, who works in the marine industry, said: “It’s very emotional. You never expect it because you’re not in it to win it, you’re just in it to help people and see the results of what you do. I feel it’s giving back. My niece came through cancer, she was very young at the time. I gave blood for years, I gave platelets for years, I stopped giving platelets and had to find something else to give back. And the more you give, the more the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust gives to you.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust 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. Michael has been volunteering with the charity since 2017. Not only does he make a transformational difference to young people’s lives on the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s adventures as a mate, but he regularly donates his time to helping maintain the charity’s yachts at Largs Yacht Haven and helping promote the charity at events.
Whether diagnosed as a child, teenager, or young adult, cancer has a big impact on mental wellbeing beyond treatment. Friendships and relationships suffer, education is impacted, and young people can live with body image issues and late effects that last way beyond their cancer. Through the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’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.
Michael continued: “My favourite part of volunteering is actually the run up to the trip, because you never know what’s going to happen! It’s hard to put into words. You get adrenaline out of it because there’s a lot going on, and when you come back after a week, you can be totally drained, like you’ve run a marathon. It’s fantastic, I can’t get enough of it.
“I’ve worked on the Clyde for quite a while, I used to be in superyachts for ten years or so, I’ve travelled a lot and done a lot. But I’ve never gotten so much as I have out of volunteering. I’ve been very fortunate in life, I’ve flown across the Atlantic in private jets and stuff like that. That is nothing compared to what I get out of the Trust.”
Krissi Cartright-Riley, the charity’s Volunteer & Team Development Manager, said: “Michael’s nominations this year were extraordinary. He’s a mentor, a safe pair of hands, a problem-solver, a cheerleader, a joker when the moment needs lightness and a rock when the trip needs steadiness. He gives his time, skills, and whole heart to making sure every young person and every volunteer feels supported and has the best experience possible.”
One of Michael’s nominations noted: “He is excellent at communicating with and caring for young people on trips. He always goes beyond expectations as a volunteer, from fixing engine problems, to standing in to cover illness and attending events. Every minute he spends with the Trust is filled with energy and enthusiasm. He gives everything he does with the charity 110%.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s Luke Gilbert Volunteer of the Year Award was introduced in 2017 in celebration of the Trust’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 ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org or follow @emctrust on social media.
