Princess Kate says her cancer is in remission: 'It is a relief'
Princess Kate's cancer is officially in remission.
"It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed (sic) on recovery," the Princess of Wales said in a post on social media Tuesday. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. 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."
The post follows the British royal's trip on Tuesday to Royal Marsden Hospital, the facility where she received treatment after her diagnosis.
"I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year," Kate, 43, wrote. "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 has been exceptional."
Kate cancer in remission, royal becomes joint patron of The Royal Marsden Hospital
Kate then announced she had accepted the role of joint patron of The Royal Marsden. The role means Kate will officially lend public support to the medical facility.
"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," she said.
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. Her treatment ended in September, with the princess sharing 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."
During her visit to the medical facility, Kate opened up about her chemotherapy experience with cancer patients.
"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," she told one woman, according to the BBC. "And understanding that as a patient — yes, there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects."
What type of cancer does Princess Kate have?
Kate has not opened up about what kind of cancer she was diagnosed with, and neither has King Charles III, who was also diagnosed with cancer early last year following a hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement.