North Devon veteran facing terminal cancer to join 2,000-mile sail around the UK

A Braunton army veteran who is facing terminal cancer is to join an epic 2,000-mile circumnavigation of the UK on board one of two traditional tall ships ahead of the 2027 Invictus Games.

Jarlath Rickward, aged 57, will be among the 70 veterans crewing the two traditional sailing ships on the 12-week voyage of the Full Circle Expedition, which sets off from Falmouth on March 17.

It is being organised by veteran sailing charity Turn to Starboard in partnership with Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 and will carry the Invictus Games flag around the UK in advance of next year’s games in Birmingham.

Jarlath, a former PTI (physical training instructor) who served with the army for 12 years, was given up to eight weeks to live after doctors found tumours in his lungs and a huge tumour around his spine and kidney.

But he has amazed doctors, who called him a ‘super responder’ to treatments and he is still going several years later, but ongoing cancer treatments have been a difficult road.

READ NEXT: Royal Marine shares how losing his leg inspired record Atlantic rows

Jarlath was invited to join the expedition to help build his confidence, re-connect with other veterans and rekindle his sense of self pride in the face of his terminal diagnosis.

He said: “I’ve gone through some pretty difficult times in the last few years since receiving the news from the doctors. I completely lost my sense of purpose and became isolated and a bit lost from the world.

“Having rediscovered my love of sailing with Turn to Starboard and now taking on this incredible maritime adventure, I am not only excited about reconnecting with fellow veterans but also eager to make new memories.”

Above: Scans showed Jarlath had a huge tumour wrapped around his spine and kidney – at the time doctors gave him just weeks to live. 

Full Circle will see two traditionally rigged tall ships, Spirit of Falmouth and Pellew, crewed by a rotating team of 70 WIS veterans.

The 12-week expedition sets sail from Falmouth on March 17, visiting 22 ports across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland before returning home in June.

Throughout the journey, the crew will raise the Invictus Games flag at each port to build momentum towards Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.

Jarlath was an active member of the army cadets in Cyprus in the 1980s and in 1988 he joined the Gloucestershire Regiment, which later amalgamated with the Duke of Edinburgh Regiment to form 1 RGBW.

After 12 years of service, Jarlath pursued marine engineering studies in Falmouth, followed by boat building and design courses that led to work in the UK, Australia, Bermuda and New York.

In 2005, when he was obtaining health insurance in New York, Jarlath received his first melanoma skin cancer diagnosis for which he received treatment, adding, “they cauterised the lumps and just laser cut them out.”

Back in the UK, he worked for an architectural firm, CSA Architects, then changed career to become a fully qualified electrician.

After a few years in the trade he decided to followed a career in further education at North Devon College and became an electrical NVQ assessor/lecturer level 3, which also involved in helping dyslexic students through innovative visual learning methods.

Cancer returned aggressively in January 2021, initially presenting as a persistent cough during the Covid pandemic.

After his friend insisting on him seeing a doctor, he was sent for a routine X-ray but was immediately hospitalised and diagnosed with extensive lung tumours and a 15.5-centimetre tumour around his spine and kidney, with an initial prognosis of six to eight weeks to live.

Jarlath said: “I was fortunate to have a two-year course of immunotherapy, which was decided to be the right treatment for my condition, by the kind doctors at North Devon District Hospital.

“I started treatments on my birthday in February three years ago.”

Above: Initial scans showed multiple tumours in his lungs and a large one around his spine and kidney.

Over the years of treatments, the medical professionals described him as a ‘super responder’, with significant kidney tumour reduction from 15.5cm to 4.5cm and cleared lung tumours.

Subsequent prostate and lower lymph node cancer diagnosis required hormone treatments and five weeks of high dose radiotherapy, causing severe adverse reactions including extensive blistering and ongoing pain management issues, affecting mobility with lower back and hip pains, and lack of sleep every night.

During his diagnosis, Jarlath’s mental health deteriorated, including a period where he contemplated suicide, packed his belongings, wrote a will, arranged his funeral and attempted an overdose.

He said: “I’m currently living alone in North Devon, which can be lonely at times. Ongoing cancer treatments, attending appointments, but I am very lucky and grateful to have such great friends and family who supported me along my journey and researching alternative health remedies to take alongside my pharmaceutical treatments and the support from North Devon College.

“I believe this has prolonged my life expectancy and I was also lucky to get great support from the Seamoor Unit at Barnstaple hospital with the Iummotherapy and other treatments.”

In 2023, Jarlath was introduced to the Turn to Starboard charity by a good friend Matt Kavanagh.

He added: “I was given one of the greatest gifts from Turn to Starboard, which was the Yacht Master scholarship.

“I hadn’t spoken to any ex-forces people for about 22 years and this was my first time walking back into a kind of military environment. When meeting the staff from Turn To Starboard, they made me feel so welcomed and I immediately felt belonging to something.

“I left that office that day with such a different attitude of self-pride back again to my life, with more experiences yet to be explored.”

READ NEXT: Discover North Devon’s hidden byways with the Charity Car Tour 2026

Having always had a love for the sea, Jarlath obtained his Day Skipper qualification during military service and took part in the prestigious Columbus 500 transatlantic race in 1992.

In September 2023, he completed an eight-month scholarship course with Turn to Starboard to become a fully qualified Offshore Yacht Master.

He said: “It has been life changing. It really has given me my life back in way of I could have a different life path to follow.”

He will be joining the Full Circle expedition on its third leg from Leith to Oban in Scotland, expected to be around mid May.

He said: “I'm very grateful for been giving this wonderful opportunity to sail alongside others who are all on their own journeys in life, my outlook on life has changed dramatically and I am very grateful for all the kind people and efforts others have made to help me through my journey.”

The voyage is also raising £300,000 to enable Turn to Starboard to purchase a second tall ship, so the charity can support more veterans facing challenges such as PTSD, physical injury, isolation and loss of confidence.

If you would like to donate to Full Circle, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/t2sfullcircle