Sail 4 Cancer, the marine charity based in Hampshire, has achieved its long-term objective of providing ‘100 years of respite days’ i.e. 36,500 days of respite for families affected by cancer.
Founded in 2001, Sail 4 Cancer provides days out and holidays for families affected by cancer, the vast majority of which have a nautical element or focus. From bespoke sailing days to longer holidays on canal boats and cruise ships, Sail 4 Cancer gives families something to look forward to during the darkest of times.
Commenting on the announcement, Andrew Hayward, Founding Trustee of Sail 4 Cancer said: “After losing my father to cancer on Boxing Day in 1999, I vowed to help other families who were living through similar experiences. Given my dad’s love of the sea (a former Royal Naval Commando) and my love of sailing, it seemed fitting to set up a charity in 2001 with a nautical connection.
“In early 2002 Sail 4 Cancer chartered a tall ship and challenged 50 people to climb the two 150ft (45m) masts. As well as raising a large sum of money, three people on board that day were undergoing cancer treatment and their feedback was compelling.
“Aside from having a tangible date in the diary to focus on, all three had not thought about cancer from the moment they had set foot on the ship. They found solace in talking to the other cancer patients on board. They achieved things they never thought their bodies would ever allow again.
They came ashore with a renewed sense of confidence, re-energised and ready to continue the fight. Sail 4 Cancer had delivered its first three respite days.”
Fast forward to the end of 2025 and Sail 4 Cancer has just delivered its 37,000th respite day. Over 100 Years of Respite Days was an objective the charity aimed to deliver by the end of 2025. Despite now having a ‘Group’ of subsidiaries, hitting this 100 year target has been a formidable challenge given that the charity’s funding dropped by 90% since the onset of COVID.
Andrew concluded: “We would like to thank the vast number of people within the global sailing community who have enabled Sail 4 Cancer to reach this incredible milestone. To all the donors, volunteers, sailing clubs, class associations, trustees, ambassadors and sponsors, we would like to thank each and every one of you.
“We would also like to extend a special thank you to our Patrons for their considerable support. These include multi Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie, Australian sailing legend Nick Moloney, round the world yachtswoman Dee Caffari MBE and sailing philanthropist Andrew Pindar OBE. We would also like to thank the former First Sea Lord, Admiral of the Fleet, Baron Boyce for his considerable and significant support from 2001 until his death in 2022.”
To find out more about Sail 4 Cancer, visit their website at www.sail4cancer.org
The charity is especially keen to hear from anyone who can offer fundraising support or volunteer their time.
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