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Sailability and starting over

"I didn’t know adapted boats existed," she admits. "I had assumed I was going to have to stop sailing but that’s when the journey started.” That’s when she found Sailability, the 911��Ʒprogramme dedicated to making boating accessible for people with disabilities. But even then, the challenges were far from over.

"Some centres said I was too medically complex, that I’d need an able-bodied person with me at all times. That was hard to hear — especially as I’d just won my first World Championship."

Determined to create a more inclusive environment, she founded Newhaven & Seaford Sailability with help from her parents, building a community where others with complex conditions could thrive. What started with two second-hand boats and a hoist funded by an 911��Ʒgrant has now grown to support around 100 participants a year, with regular weekly sessions and a dedicated community.

For Jazz, the heart of Sailability isn’t just about getting people on the water—it’s about creating transformation through access.

‘My sailing family are my chosen family’

Backed by a deeply supportive sailing family who kept her on the water as her condition progressed, she felt a responsibility to pass on the opportunities she’d been lucky to have. Sailing, for her, became more than a sport—it became a lifeline, a career, and the way she met her foster parents.

“I met my foster parents through the sailing club. I often say: my sailing family are my chosen family. They are incredible humans who've got me through the hard times. I wouldn’t be here without them.”

But if sailing brought her a family, it also brought something even more fundamental: identity. On land, she recounts that she is seen as a young woman in a wheelchair, needing help from others. On water, she’s just a sailor.

“You can’t tell I have a disability when I’m in a boat. You can’t tell I’m terminally ill. It’s just sailing’s incredible ability to level the playing field and allow you to be like everyone else.”

Project FEAR: “Face Everything And Rise”

In December 2023, Jazz’s medical team and family made an unthinkable decision: due to a major complication, they would withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Originally given a prognosis of six months, when it drew to the end of this period, Jazz faced a key question.

She says. “How do you live when you don’t know how long you’ve got left?”

She didn’t have an answer. But she had a dream.

“I’d always wanted to sail around the world. My parents weren’t too thrilled and so we took a step back. We tried to figure out what was the ‘baby step’?” The result: Project Fear —a solo circumnavigation of the UK and Ireland in a modest sailing yacht.

Months of physical hardship. Endless logistics. And the enormous task of raising £30,000 to save two of her group’s most vital boats—crucial for continuing the work of Sailability in her region.

In the end, she didn’t raise £30,000—she raised over £50,000, completing the journey solo and making history in the process.

“The incredible amount of support I had — from people I know and even people I don’t know—has been amazing. I mean, there's been endless moments of kindness. Every time I faltered, or felt like giving up - I only had to remember who I was doing it for.”

Challenging a culture of ‘No’

Despite the success of her voyage and her work with Sailability, Jazz believes there is still more to be done. When she first tried to enter the world of yachting, she was often met with rejection—not out of malice, but fear.

People were unsure how to support her condition and, rather than ask, they chose to say no. That, she believes, needs to change.

“If your first reaction is fear, and you shut down the conversation, then you stop something potentially amazing from ever happening,” she explains. Her own journey—planning and completing a solo sail around the UK—was possible only because those closest to her said “Let’s try.” That attitude, she says, is the difference between limitation and possibility.

Freedom on the Water

To those with disabilities who might be curious about sailing but feel it’s out of reach, she offers a powerful message:

“Yes, it’s scary, getting into a boat—especially if you have less control over your body than most people. But if you don’t try, you’ll never know what’s possible.”

More than anything, she hopes her story shows that sailing—and adventure—are for everyone.

“Whether you’ve grown up in foster care, have a disability, or you’re a girl… there’s no reason you can’t access sailing. You might have to do things differently, but that’s OK.”

Her message is simple, but deeply resonant: with creativity, determination, and the right support, anything is possible. Sailing, for her, is freedom—and now, she’s on a mission to make sure others get the chance to feel it too.

With over 200+ Sailability venues in the UK, there is somewhere to get on the water near you. Learn more about Sailability on Sailability | Our programmes or use our online tool - Where's My Nearest to find your nearest centre.