Princess of Wales in remission from cancer
The Princess of Wales has confirmed that she is “in remission” from cancer.
On Tuesday, the Princess visited the Royal Marsden Hospital and confirmed that was where she had received treatment.
She thanked doctors and nurses for their “care, support and compassion”, saying they had “quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything”. She added that “we couldn’t have asked for more” than the “exceptional” care and advice she had received from the hospital’s staff.
In a deeply personal message, she said it was “a relief to now be in remission”, adding: “I remain focused on recovery.”
“As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal,” she wrote in a social media message signed “C” for Catherine. “I am, however, looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
Hours after she was announced, with Prince William, as the new joint patron of the Royal Marsden, she wrote: “I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to the Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.
“My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything. We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient have been exceptional.
“In my new role as joint patron of the Royal Marsden, my hope is that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing we might save many more lives and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.”
It is the first time the Princess, or the palace, has used the word “remission” to describe her health.
In September, she said: “Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”
In March, she had shared news of her diagnosis in a statement reading: “In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful.
“However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
The term “remission” means that there is no sign of cancer in a person’s body.
It has not been used publicly in the Princess’ case before now, because it was considered too close to the end of her treatment to be sure.
Caroline Geraghty, a senior cancer information nurse at Cancer Research UK, explained: “Remission means, after you’ve been treated for cancer, there is no evidence that there’s any cancer left.”
“I think for many people it’s relief, it’s relief to hear that word and for the doctor to explain to them, and possibly to show them a scan picture which shows the cancer is not there.
“That’s not appropriate for everyone, but for some people, it might be visualised for them on the scan, and to see that means so much.
“If you’ve particularly had a difficult time with treatment, or you’ve gone through a lot of treatment – and it’s not just that physical impact it can have on you and all the side-effects of the treatment that you’ve had to go through – but that turmoil it causes in your mind and the anxiety and the worry and the stress it causes you and your family and your loved ones. So to hear the word ‘remission’ kind of gives you, I suppose, a deep breath of relief.”
