'Before I found this Trust and trips, I felt quite lonely

'LONELY' CANCER SURVIVOR FINDS FRIENDSHIP ON SAILING ADVENTURE

- By SOFIE JACKSON

A YOUNG cancer survivor from Hull said his life has been transformed after signing up for a charity's free sailing trip.

Thomas Pawson, 28, went on a sailing adventure with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust from Largs, Scotland, on June 9. He was diagnosed with two brain tumours at the start of 2017 and given the all-clear later that year.

But he suffered long-term side effects such as chronic fatigue, which he felt others didn't understand, leaving him feeling lonely. He ended up being diagnosed with anxiety and depression.

Thomas said: "People don't think about the long-term aftereffects of cancer. Like, for example, I've got chronic fatigue and an impaired immune system, but people don't get that.

"I can get more unwell than most, and people are like, 'Oh well, it's just you trying to get out of doing things.' No, I'm not."