Three British women, one of whom has incurable cancer, have broken the world record for sailing across the Atlantic.
Kat Cordiner, who has secondary ovarian cancer, and teammates Abby Johnston and Charlotte Irving arrived in Antigua on Sunday evening.
Women Completed 3,000 Mile Crossing From Gomera to English Harbor in 42 days, seven hours and 17 minutes, the Talisker Whiskey is knocking an astonishing seven days off the women’s trio record at the Atlantic Challenge.
He was given an emotional welcome by family and friends, who went out to celebrate with him. When he stepped on the ground for the first time since December 12, he said he felt ‘staggered, overwhelmed and happy’.
Three British women (pictured), one of whom has incurable cancer, have broken the world record for sailing across the Atlantic.
Kat Cordiner (pictured), who has secondary ovarian cancer, and teammates Abby Johnston and Charlotte Irving arrived in Antigua on Sunday evening
Rowing the world’s second largest ocean is accepted as the ultimate endurance race.
More people have climbed Mount Everest than those who successfully crossed the Atlantic, and less than 20 percent are women.
Ms. Cordiner is believed to be the first to tackle this challenge as a cancer patient.
The women are raising money for Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Race organizers said they had shown that the impossible was possible.
Ms. Cordiner, 42, Ms. Irving, 31, and Ms. Johnston, 32, were on a 25-foot boat – called Dolly Parton – for two hours continuously and two hours away and unsupported.
When they left, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall sent them a hand-written good luck message wishing ‘fair winds and following seas’.
The women (pictured) completed the 3,000-mile distance from La Gomera to English Harbor in the Canary Islands in 42 days, seven hours and 17 minutes, knocking an astonishing seven days from the women’s trio record at the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge.
During his epic journey he experienced scorching heat, heavy night time waves, lack of sleep, blisters on his hands and callhouses and sharks in the back of his small boat.
However, they agreed with determination and ready to entertain themselves.
As they arrived, the waiting crowd was told: ‘If you follow their social media, these ladies with karaoke, Hawaiian shirts, face flashes and glow sticks have made a huge splash down the Atlantic at Club Dolly Parton. Looked like a party.
The way he celebrated Christmas, New Year’s and Kat’s 42nd birthday, he opened a bottle of Prosecco.
The money is still coming in but Women’s Hope hopes to raise £100,000 to be shared between three cancer charities.
The three women (pictured) were emotionally welcomed by family and friends, who went out to celebrate with them
Simon Ledsham, Director of Fundraising for Cancer Research UK, said: ‘We are amazed by what Kat, Abby and Charlotte have achieved and what they have achieved. They are remarkable supporters, not least Kat, who is an inspiration to thousands of others facing their cancer journey.
‘We would like to congratulate him very much for his world record as well as for raising money for Cancer Research UK and for highlighting the need for more money to develop better and compassionate treatments for all types of cancer Would like to thank our grateful.
‘We hope they will spend their first night on dry land in a comfortable bed knowing they have achieved a dream, are now world leaders in their field and have raised funds that will help us shape the treatment of the future. will help.
‘But for now, we hope they celebrate in style. As for Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall said when they were set – it was an orasum undertaking – and they are amazing women!’
Ms Cordiner was diagnosed with cervical cancer in March 2019, purely by chance as she was hatching her eggs in hopes of having a baby in the future.
She was ‘upset’, though she said she was more upset about cancer than not being able to give birth to a baby.
Kat underwent a radical hysterectomy but doctors gave up on her ovaries because she wanted to do another round of egg-freezing. Once her eggs were harvested, her ovaries were removed.
Everything seemed fine after the operation. But in June 2020, she started experiencing abdominal pain and knew immediately that the cancer had returned.
Ms Cordiner worried that going back to treatment would reduce the chances of the crew attending Atlantic Row.
But there was another setback – despite training through chemotherapy, doctors noticed an enlargement of her heart and told her to stop exercising immediately.
His medical team first treated the cancer and then operated on his heart to remove the tumor.
She was treated with six sessions of radiotherapy, along with carboplatin, paclitaxel, and the targeted therapy drug Avastin.
Cancer Research UK was involved in the development of paclitaxel and was instrumental in underpinning the research behind carboplatin and Avastin.
After exhausting intensive cancer treatment, heart surgery, and six months of no training, she was back in the boat.
Ms Cordiner said: ‘It hit me a little bit in the beginning and more than anything I got angry because I couldn’t exercise. But when I got back in the boat, I was strong enough – I knew I could do it!’
The 42-year-old is now in remission and taking only medications to cope with the effects of falling into early menopause.
She said: ‘The doctors have told me I don’t have decades, I have years, so I really want to make the most of them. I don’t want to get bogged down in doing things that don’t matter – I want to do things that are challenging and fun.
‘I don’t know how long I’ll be in remission. Many people think that cancer/chemo/death. But today medicines are so much better that you can live your life with cancer. People live for years for treatment.
To donate to Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, visit the We Are Extraordinary Go Fund Me page.
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