On June 19th<\/sup>, Les Voiles de l’Espoir called into Monaco. Around a hundred children with cancer spent a week of sailing and partying to get their confidence and smiles back.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Written by : Christophe Var\u00e8ne – Photos : Michael Alesi \/ Palais Princier, Mesi \/YCM, Birdeyecam, DR.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The smiles tell the story. From June 15th<\/sup> to 22nd<\/sup>, nearly a hundred children set off on sailboats for a rally linking Saint-Rapha\u00ebl to Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Monaco and back. This seemingly innocent escapade was in fact a wonderful adventure for these children and teenagers who were struck by cancer or leukaemia far too early and are now mostly in remission. Because Les Voiles de l’Espoir Foundation has set itself an ambitious goal: to restore the self-confidence that has been shattered by their illness, so that they can once again play an active role in their lives and plan for the future. And yes, when the week ended, their smiles spoke for themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On each boat, two children were accompanied by a skipper and supervisors, often members of the Brotherhood of the Round Table. Daily life on board the sailing boats was part of a psycho-playful journey: the “ship’s boy” gained autonomy and opened up to others within the reassuring framework of the crew and, during stopovers, of the whole group. To symbolise this, each child was given a foam beret when they set off and received a captain’s hat in their name on arrival. Every leg of the journey included activities for children, and the Monaco stage was memorable for both young and old.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOpening up to others<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A visit to the Palace <\/h3>\n\n\n\n