The children of Voiles de l’Espoir at the Yacht Club de Monaco
June 21 2024 - 12:29PM
A stopover at the Yacht Club de Monaco and in the heart of the
Principality. A hundred children in remission from cancer and
leukaemia aboard 50 boats are sailing along the French Riviera for
a week. On Wednesday 19th June, these young sailors aged 8 to 14
called into the YCM Marina for 24 hours. After 730 days of
preparation the 12th Voiles de l’Espoir, sponsored this year by
Christian Millette from the TV ‘Dance avec les Stars’ show, got
underway on Sunday 16th June from Saint-Raphaël. Thursday morning
the fleet headed back out to sea to sail from Monaco to Golfe-Juan
for another port of call full of memories.
In Monaco the children attended the changing of the guard
followed by a visit to the Palace hosted by HSH Prince Albert II of
Monaco, then a lap of the famous F1 circuit in cars provided by
Automobile Club de Monaco members. An emotional day ended with
workshops at the Yacht Club de Monaco before a Princesses and
Princes Pirates party. “We were so lucky to get into the Yacht
Club” beamed a delighted Baptiste, age 13. “This adventure has been
nothing but happiness as at home we only think about how little we
can do, while here we don’t think about our illness and that’s
really, really nice”.
Organised every two years, this 100% volunteer meeting is the
largest nautical event in the world for children in remission. It
is thanks to the 400 adults who are mobilised to accompany and
support 100 young patients from all walks of life (France, Morocco,
Israel, Luxembourg, Belgium Switzerland) for a week. Already more
than 1,000 youngsters have benefited from this wonderful initiative
since it started 20 years ago. Most of the children have undergone
intensive chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant and for the
majority this is their first outing outside their medical and
family situation. This unique experience is organised in such a way
that every child regains their self-confidence which is so often
dented by illness.
For more information:Press Office LaPresse -
ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/50092a69-328b-49f5-8d58-989ed5ebd5c2