Hope on the Horizon: Sailing Beyond MS

Trish Smith, a Volunteer and Veteran of Oceans of Hope UK, has kindly written this article for us, which we hope you will find interesting...

Sailing? Are you mad! You have Multiple Sclerosis, you cannot possibly sail having this condition, I can hear you asking.  I too thought that when I was diagnosed in October 2016 and going through a very bleak time in my life of severe depression, feeling suicidal, and the passing of my dad 5 months later, my life had hit rock bottom!  I have this neurological condition, unsure of my future and how bad I will become and how long I have until I am in a wheelchair?  

My life changed in 2018 when I heard about this charity called Oceans of Hope whilst on a taster weekend sailing in Bewl, Kent. They were offering a 5-day sailing trip in Croatia along the Dalmatian coast, for me it was a big turning point of going into an unknown territory and meeting people who had the same condition as me yet having the confidence to fly abroad on my own and not knowing anyone, one week later, my mindset of having MS changed and me as a person (for the better). I met so many people, a crew who accepted me as the person I was and a skipper who showed me the way forward and believed in me. I was so hooked it was like a drug; it fuelled me to believe I could do anything I wanted if I put my mind to it.

Since May 2019, I have been to Turkey (I am about to go back for my fourth time in May this year with Oceans of Hope UK) that same year, and have been to Greece twice, Sardinia, sailed a 72ft Challenger boat to Belfast with fellow Oceans of Hope MS participants and the Tall Ships Youth Trust and many day sails in Port Solent.

Oceans of Hope is a charity that offers hope to those with Multiple Sclerosis. There is hope that just because you have this horrible disease, you can feel free, let the wind blow the problems away that we face daily and feel, brave doing something new and exciting.

Oceans of Hope has some exciting day sails coming up in May on two yachts from Southampton (we do ask that you can climb stairs from the deck to the Galley) for those who are wheelchair bound or are unsure of trying this on a yacht, we have a Wheelchair accessible catamaran that is sailing in July from Port Silent.

In July, there is a weekend at Calvert Lakes in Keswick, Lake District, which includes Sailing big and small boats, Archery, swimming, and Zip-Lining. The cost is £175 all-inclusive.

You can find all these events on https://oceansofhope.co.uk/take-part/ and you can sign up for the newsletter here as well, which will keep you updated on allwe are doing.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me: info@oceansofhope.co.uk 

I hope to see you at some of these events.

Take Care and remember...... “Life is not about waiting for the winds to change; it's about learning to adjust your sails”