Public discourse about her whereabouts after taking a step back forced the royal to publicly announce her cancer diagnosis
Princess Kate is back at the place where her healing began. The British royal surprised patients on Tuesday at the same hospital where she was treated for cancer last year. Kate, who recently celebrated her 43rd birthday, visited Royal Marsden Hospital in west London and spoke with staff and patients at the facility, as well as their families.
“I was just saying, coming in the front entrance here, having made so many quiet, private visits, actually it’s quite nice,” she said.
She spoke to patients going through chemotherapy, sharing positive words and sympathy. “It’s really tough… It’s such a shock… Everyone said to me, ‘please keep a positive mindset, it makes such a difference,'” she told one woman.
Speaking on her own experience with treatment, she said: “You think the treatment has finished, and you can crack on and get back to normal, but that’s still a real challenge. The words totally disappear. And understanding that as a patient — yes, there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects.”
Public discourse about her whereabouts after taking a step back forced the royal to publicly announce her cancer diagnosis. Kate revealed in March that she would undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy after having abdominal surgery. And while her treatment ended in September, the princess shared in a video posted to social media at the time: “My path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”
Kate has increasingly made public appearances as she recovers from treatment, including at the Trooping the Colour parade, Wimbledon, church services including a Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in eastern England, and her annual Christmas carol service. At the latter event with her family, Kate spoke about unity, reflecting on “our own vulnerabilities” during the holiday season and the need for empathy.
She said, “It is when we stop and take ourselves away from the pressures of daily life, that we find the space to live our lives with an open heart, with love, kindness and forgiveness, so much of what the Christmas spirit is all about.
“The Christmas story encourages us to consider the experiences and feelings of others. It also reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences. Above all else, it encourages us to turn to love, not fear.”
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