Latest news with #RoyalMarsdenCancerCharity
1News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- 1News
Princess of Wales opens up about 'really difficult' cancer journey
Princess of Wales, Catherine Middleton opened up about her "really difficult" cancer journey during an official engagement. During her visit to the RHS Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital she said despite putting on a 'brave face, the post-cancer treatment phase has been a real challenge. "You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you're not able to function normally at home," she said. Chatting with patients and staff, Catherine emphasised the importance of post-treatment support. ADVERTISEMENT "You have to find your new normal and that takes time... and it's a rollercoaster, it's not one smooth plane, which you expect it to be. But the reality is, it's not, you go through hard times." She also highlighted how the diagnosis can affect those close to you. "It's life-changing for anyone, through first diagnosis or post-treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the patient but also for the families as well. "And actually it sometimes goes unrecognised, you don't necessarily, particularly when it's the first time, appreciate how much impact it is going to have." Her visit included planting flowers to highlight the therapeutic benefits of nature and promote awareness of its significance in enhancing physical and mental health. The "Catherine Roses" will be sold to to raise funds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, where the princess herself received treatment. Her appearance is the first since cancelling plans to attend Royal Ascot as she continues to balance the demands of her public duties against the realities of her recovery from cancer. ADVERTISEMENT Royal Ascot is a five-day series of horse races, and the centrepiece of the summer social season in Britain.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Kate Middleton Speaks Out on the Phase After Cancer Treatment After Missing Royal Ascot: It's ‘Really, Really Difficult'
Kate Middleton returned to public duties on July 2 with a visit to a hospital's well-being garden, where she spoke candidly about her cancer recovery She said, "You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment, treatments done, then it's like, "I can crack on, get back to normal,' but actually the phase afterwards is really, really difficult" The visit marked her first appearance since missing Royal Ascot on June 18 amid her continued cancer recoveryKate Middleton returned to public duties with a meaningful visit to a hospital garden, where she spoke candidly about the challenges of her cancer journey, even after treatment ended. The Princess of Wales, 43, traveled to Colchester Hospital in Essex on July 2 to spend time in a specially designed well-being garden that offers a restorative space for patients, NHS staff and visitors. She said, "You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment, treatments done, then it's like, "I can crack on, get back to normal,' but actually the phase afterwards is really, really difficult." "You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to," the Princess of Wales continued. "And actually, someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment, I think is really valuable." Princess Kate called it "life-changing" for both the patient and their families. "You have to find your new normal and that takes it's a rollercoaster, it's not smooth, like you expect it to be," she said. But the reality is you go through hard times." Princess Kate's outing came after she was said to be disappointed not to join Prince William at Royal Ascot on June 18. Those close to her emphasized that she is still working to find the right balance while easing back into official duties following her cancer treatment. While she hadn't made a public appearance since, Kate and William quietly hosted a private meeting with Melinda French Gates at Windsor Castle on June 25 — not far from their home at Adelaide Cottage, where they live with their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. During her hospital visit, she helped plant several "Catherine's Rose" plants — a newly launched bloom named in her honor by the Royal Horticultural Society — alongside staff who volunteer in the garden. The pink roses, with proceeds benefiting the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, where Kate received care during her own cancer treatment, were donated as part of a wider effort to bring healing green spaces to those in need. Fifty of the plants were delivered to Colchester Hospital this week, and 500 will be distributed to wellbeing and community gardens across the U.K. this summer — including Maggie's centers for cancer patients, East Anglia's Children's Hospices (a longtime cause of Kate's) and Horatio's Gardens, which support people living with spinal injuries. Tuesday's appearance marks another step in Kate's gradual return to the spotlight, following her announcement in March 2024 that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. Although she shared in January that she's now in remission, the princess continues to manage her schedule carefully. At Colchester, Kate spent time with award-winning garden designer Adam Frost, who worked with NHS staff to shape the space to meet the needs of the hospital community. The hospital's well-being garden, which opened in July 2024, was created in partnership with the RHS, Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity and NHS Charities Together — the latter of which is a joint patronage of Kate and Prince William. Kate has long championed the power of nature to support emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. And those close to her say that spending time outdoors was a vital part of her own healing journey. 'She would say, 'During my recovery, I spent a lot of time in the outdoors because that's where I felt at peace,'' said Dwayne Fields, a chief scout who joined Kate on a recent outing in the Lake District. 'When people speak about themselves, it feels like they are giving you something … That's her superpower. She's a wonderfully warm person and invites you into a conversation.' Kate also visited the hospital's Cancer Wellbeing Centre to meet with patients and staff and hear how gardens like the one at Colchester are playing a bigger role in healthcare settings. The RHS plans to include the garden in research for its upcoming Blueprint for Wellbeing Gardens, which will launch in spring 2026. The princess, who has supported nature-forward initiatives from forest schools to therapeutic gardens, once described nature as 'hugely beneficial to our physical and mental well-being.' In 2019, she shared her enthusiasm for 'forest bathing,' a Japanese practice that promotes mindfulness through immersion in the natural world. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Reflecting on the poignant image of Kate photographed beneath a tree in Windsor in the summer of 2024, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told PEOPLE, "There she is in nature, which has fortified her, and looking upward in a sign of real hope and encouragement for everybody." Next week, Kate is expected to be among members of the royal family helping host French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron during their U.K. visit. Read the original article on People
Arab Times
10-05-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
New rose named after Princess of Wales to celebrate nature's healing power
LONDON, May 10: A new rose has been named in honour of Catherine, Princess of Wales, to promote the therapeutic benefits of nature and gardening. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) unveiled Catherine's Rose, a coral-pink floribunda with a delicate scent of Turkish Delight and mango, as part of its mission to highlight how spending time outdoors supports mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Proceeds from the sale of the rose will benefit the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The Princess of Wales was treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital in west London for cancer last year. The princess, who revealed her diagnosis in March 2024, underwent a course of preventative chemotherapy and completed her treatment in September. In January this year, she made a surprise visit to the hospital, expressing her gratitude to staff and encouraging patients by saying there is "light at the end of the tunnel." According to the RHS, Catherine's Rose attracts pollinators and is suitable for planting in mixed borders, as a hedge, in large containers, or in rose beds. The rose forms clusters of up to 15 blooms, each measuring between 8 and 12 centimetres. The plant itself grows to approximately 1.2 metres tall and 90 centimetres wide. Clare Matterson, Director General of the RHS, said the rose would 'raise awareness of how nature and gardening can help to heal.' 'We know how important this message is as every day we see how accessing nature and being outside is vital for our health and happiness,' she added. An initial release of 15,000 Catherine's Rose plants is scheduled for this autumn, with more to be made available in 2026.
BBC News
10-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Surrey: Godalming man given pioneering robotic cancer treatment
A man who dismissed signs of cancer as a mark from his golf bag has become the first patient in the UK to have robotic microsurgery, the Royal Marsden Hospital has Lees, 47, from Godalming, Surrey, eventually sought help after seeing news articles surrounding the King's cancer then discovered that he had a rare type of skin cancer "the size of two 50 pence pieces", which medics needed to urgently aid the reconstruction of the tissue and vessels, which were damaged during the cancer-removal procedure, the hospital used robotic-assisted microsurgery. 'Taken aback' The robot can replicate the natural movements of the human hand at the at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London hailed the success of the operation, saying how surprised they were that Mr Lees was able to return to work just weeks Lees said: "I had a mark that had been on my chest for a while. It wasn't causing me any discomfort, so I got used to it."Around the time King Charles was having his cancer treatments there was a lot of coverage about it, so I thought: 'Oh, ok, I better go to the doctor'.""So, I went to the GP, she didn't think it was anything, but said to get it checked out."I was pretty taken aback when I was told by the dermatologist, that was last thing I was expecting her to say." Mr Lees was diagnosed with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans - a rare type of soft tissue sarcoma - in his is a type of cancer that develops in the body's connective tissues including fat, muscle, nerves and blood and lymph procedures took place in November 2024 and he has since been given the all- Royal Marsden Cancer Charity funded a UK-first robotic-assisted microsurgery system, called the Symani Surgical Aadil Khan said: "The Symani system is the first open microsurgery robotic system that's been developed in the world, and we are the first hospital in the UK to have it."What the Symani system now does is that it has robotic arms which take over that connection of blood vessels."So the surgeon sits remotely from the patient, looking at a screen in the same way that other robotic surgery is performed, and I have controllers in my hand that allow me to control the arms of the robot." Additional reporting by PA Media.
The Independent
10-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Man who credits King for cancer diagnosis first to receive robotic microsurgery
An avid golfer who dismissed signs of cancer as a mark from his golf bag has become the first patient in the UK to have robotic microsurgery. Nick Lees, 47, from Godalming in Surrey, eventually sought help after seeing news articles surrounding the King 's cancer diagnosis. He then discovered that he had a rare type of skin cancer 'the size of two 50 pence pieces'. Medics needed to urgently remove the cancer. And to aid the reconstruction of the tissue and vessels which were damaged during the cancer-removal procedure, they used robotic-assisted microsurgery – the first time it has been used in the UK. The robot can replicate the natural movements of the human hand at the micro-scale. Experts at the Royal Marsden hospital in London hailed the success of the operation – saying how surprised they were that Mr Lees was able to return to work just weeks afterwards. Mr Lees, an estate agent, told the PA news agency: 'I had a mark that had been on my chest for a while. 'It appeared, and it wasn't causing me any discomfort, so I got used to it. 'I kind of assumed that it was because I played golf regularly, I carry a golf bag, and the strapping and sort of caused this sort of marking. 'But around the time King Charles was having his cancer treatments, there was a lot of coverage about it. 'I thought: 'Oh, OK, I better go to the doctor's.' 'So, went to the GP, she didn't think it was anything, but said to get it checked out. 'So, I went to see this dermatologist, and they did a biopsy, and then they called me back in and said: 'Look, unfortunately, it's revealed you've got this sort of rare form of sort of skin cancer.' 'I was pretty taken aback, that was last thing I was expecting her to say.' Mr Lees was diagnosed with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans – a rare type of soft tissue sarcoma – in his chest. Sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the body's connective tissues including fat, muscle, nerves and blood and lymph vessels. Mr Lees was referred to the world-renowned cancer hospital where he was under the care of consultant surgeon, Professor Andrew Hays, and consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon Aadil Khan. The procedures took place in November last year and now Mr Lees has since been given the all-clear. The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity funded a UK-first robotic-assisted microsurgery system, called Symani Surgical System. Mr Khan told PA: 'The Symani system is the first open microsurgery robotic system that's been developed in the world, and we are the first hospital in the UK to have it. 'Traditionally, when we used to do microsurgery, we would look down a microscope and we would manually use stitches to connect blood vessels together in order to perform these microsurgical reconstructions for patients who are having cancer treatment. 'What the Symani system now does is that it has robotic arms which take over that connection of blood vessels. 'So the surgeon sits remotely from the patient, looking at a screen in the same way that other robotic surgery is performed, and I have controllers in my hand that allow me to control the arms of the robot. 'And so we are now able to connect blood vessels of up to half a millimetre in diameter together very precisely and very kind of accurately using the robot. 'The technology itself means that it kind of eliminates the tremor at when you're working at particularly very, very small levels, so your connections are much more precise and much more accurate.' He went on: 'Because we have greater reliability around connecting blood vessels of a smaller calibre than we did before… it's better for the patient in terms of recovery, mobilisation and healing after surgery.' Researchers at the hospital are now studying the effectiveness of the tool to see whether it could bring wider benefits to the NHS across the country. Mr Lees added: 'I feel quite honoured that they asked me to be the first patient. 'Obviously, when the surgeon first mentioned it, I was not too sure, but then I went away and thought about it and just felt that I'm in safe hands, I have a good relationship with the surgeon and everything had been first class in terms of how I've been sort of looked after at the Royal Marsden, so I had complete confidence in them. 'I also felt that I could do something that might help them, and also then others that come after.' Mr Khan added: 'For Nick, we were able to do a slightly less invasive procedure. 'And actually, when I saw him in clinic, he had gone back to work and that was quite significant, because I didn't think he would be back at work as soon as he had been, but within weeks after surgery, he was, he was back to his job. 'He's had a great result. He's had a great outcome. And he's cancer free.' Mr Kieran Power, head of the plastic surgery unit and consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon at The Royal Marsden, said: 'We are hugely excited by the potential of Symani and the possibilities it offers patients in terms of faster recovery, less pain and improving quality of life following surgery.' Antonia Dalmahoy, managing director of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, said: 'We are delighted that the Charity's funding has made it possible for The Royal Marsden to pave the way in improving cancer treatment and care, for the benefit of patients right across the UK and around the world.'
