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Icom to Support Leukaemia Survivor Sail Around the UK

Olly Rofix, a survivor of a rare form of Leukaemia will be attempting to sail around Britain single handed to raise awareness and funds for the Anthony Nolan Trust. Icom UK have supplied Olly with an IC-M505 combined DSC/VHF VHF Marine Transceiver as his main means of radio communication and an IC-M71 VHF Marine handheld Transceiver as a backup.

In 2005, Olly from Woodbridge in Suffolk, was diagnosed with a form of leukaemia so rare that it didn’t even have a name. ‘I was only the third person in the world to have had this form of leukaemia,’ explains Olly, ‘which I thought was pretty cool until I found out the other two were dead.’

Olly needed a stem cell transplant and received one through a donor registered with the Anthony Nolan Trust. Now, to raise money for the charity that saved his life, Olly plans to sail around the UK throughout spring 2011. “Raising awareness and getting more people on to the register is crucial, but I also want to inspire other people who are ill or who have been ill. I want to show them that they might be ill now, but they can go on to do great things.”

Olly said, ‘This year my health has improved dramatically and I have been able to rebuild a 18ft sailing boat which I have named the Jolly Olly. Next year, I hope to test my strength and stamina for the 2011 Round Britain voyage, starting in May. The voyage will take approximately 4/5 months and will be going around the top of Scotland. I will be stopping in a marina each night to meet other young people who are or have been in a similar circumstance to myself.’

Olly said, ‘Throughout my training on the South coast, I have been using radios supplied by Icom. They are two great pieces of essential kit to have on the boat! I use the IC-M505 mainly for coastguard communications and weather. Being a solo sailor the handheld IC-M71 has proved its weight in gold when it comes to marina approaches and berthing.’

He added, ‘Icom equipment is known all over the world to be the best in every aspect. I only wanted the best on the Jolly Olly for my challenge and I am so grateful for Icom’s support. They have been hugely supportive for the challenge and have offered great advice.

Olly will be exhibiting his Valiant 18, the Jolly Olly, at the London Boat Show in January, very near the Icom stand. He plans to begin his trip from Ipswich on 2nd May 2011.

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