From Ocean Medicine to the Open Ocean
After more than three decades working as a paediatrician and 25 years as the primary carer for her son, Helen is doing something she once had to put on hold: choosing adventure.
In 2024, she joined World Extreme Medicine’s Ocean Medicine Course in Brixham. Now, she’s preparing to sail over 10,000 miles as part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, a challenge that will take her from Seattle, through the Panama Canal, to Washington, DC, and eventually back to the UK.
This isn’t a gentle reintroduction to adventure in any way, this is one of the toughest endurance sailing events in the world, and it’s open to non-professional sailors.
A decade in the making
Helen first applied for the race in 2016. It’s taken ten years to make it possible.
Balancing a demanding medical career with caring responsibilities meant putting her own ambitions on pause (something many people will quietly recognise). But with the right support finally in place, she’s stepping into something that represents far more than a race.
The freedom, the space, and the possibility.
“After more than 32 years as a paediatrician and 25 years as ‘chief carer’ for my son, I’m taking some time out to prove to myself and others that there is life beyond caring.”
That career pivot (from constant responsibility to personal challenge) sits at the heart of her story.
The reality of the Clipper Race
It’s easy to romanticise ocean crossings, but Helen is very clear: this is not that.
The Clipper Race is physically demanding from the start. Every sail change is manual. Winches and grinders are powered by people (not buttons). Eleven heavy sails must be hauled on and off deck depending on conditions. The boat heels at angles up to 45 degrees, turning even simple tasks into full-body challenges.
Then there’s the rhythm of life at sea.
- Watches run continuously in 4-6 hour rotations
- Sleep is broken and unpredictable
- Movement on board is unstable, often chaotic
- There are no showers, and unfortunately rain becomes your best option
- Space is shared with 15 crew members you didn’t know before training
And the duration? Over 50 days at sea for this leg alone, with only a brief stop in Panama before continuing.
Why Ocean Medicine matters out there
Despite the scale of the challenge, Helen isn’t going in unprepared.
She credits her time on the Ocean Medicine Course as a turning point, and not just for practical knowledge, but for confidence.
“Possibly my favourite ever CPD in 30+ years!”
Coming from a paediatric background, she had concerns about stepping into adult emergency scenarios, especially outside of a hospital setting. But what she found was something deeper than clinical specialism. She rediscovered structure, logic and calm decision-making.
The fundamentals that apply whether you’re in a hospital ward, on a flight, or in the middle of the ocean.
“Being structured, logical, calm, and following protocols doesn’t really differ that much in ‘big people’ or outside hospital.”
That mindset has already translated into real-world situations. Helen recounts responding to a cardiac arrest mid-flight, a high-pressure, resource-limited environment where those core principles mattered more than anything else.
“He was given the best chance in the circumstances. More importantly, his wife could see that.”
And then, in her words:
“Turns out I can do more than dinosaur plasters and Calpol!”
Life on board: challenge, connection, perspective
Beyond the physical and clinical aspects, there’s another layer to the experience: human connection.
Living in close quarters with a crew of strangers (navigating stress, fatigue, and unpredictability), it creates a kind of accelerated bonding that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.
For Helen, this has already been one of the unexpected rewards of training.
“An unanticipated bonus has been the incredible camaraderie and friendships formed with fellow crew members.”
It’s a reminder that even in the most extreme environments, people remain central.
What she’s looking forward to
For all the intensity, there’s also anticipation.
Moments that only exist this far from land:
- Seeing a night sky untouched by light pollution
- Surfing vast Pacific rollers
- Spotting ocean wildlife in its natural environment
- Passing through the engineering feat of the Panama Canal
- That first cold drink after weeks at sea
And perhaps most importantly, reconnecting with family and friends waiting at key stops along the journey; in Washington, DC, and later in Oban before the final leg to Portsmouth.
A purpose beyond the journey
Alongside the race, Helen is fundraising for UNICEF UK, a cause closely tied to both her professional and personal life.
“I frequently think about families in other countries with disabled children, facing struggles similar to ours but in circumstances far worse than I can imagine.”
Her goal is simple and tangible:
£165 funds a wheelchair. She’s aiming to raise enough to provide ten.
It’s a powerful extension of a lifetime spent caring for others, now carried into a completely different environment.
Support Helen’s 10,000-mile Clipper Race
After 30+ years as a paediatrician and 25 years as a full-time carer, Helen is taking on the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race — sailing over 10,000 miles while raising funds for UNICEF.
£165 can help fund a wheelchair. Helen is aiming to raise enough for ten.
Donate to Helen’s fundraiserMore than a race
Helen’s story isn’t really about sailing, but more about identity beyond roles.
This is about what happens when you finally give yourself permission to step into something you’ve held off for years. And about realising that the skills you’ve built )even in very specific environments) are more transferable than you may think.
From Brixham to the open ocean… this is what that looks like in practice.
And somewhere out there, between watch shifts and sail changes, she’ll be carrying a quiet confidence: She’s ready for whatever comes.
A huge thank you to Helen for sharing her story so openly and for taking us along on this journey. It’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when you give yourself permission to step into something new, no matter how long it’s taken to get there.
We’re all behind you, Helen. Wishing you fair winds, steady seas, and moments you’ll carry with you long after you’re back on land.
Take your clinical training onto the water
Join us in Brixham for a four-day Ocean Medicine course designed for healthcare professionals and students looking to apply their skills in maritime, coastal, and water-based environments.
Includes practical workshops, on-water scenarios, accommodation, meals, and CPD hours awarded by RCSEd.