Princess Kate made an emotional visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Tuesday, where she received treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer last year. The Princess of Wales met with cancer patients and staff to express her gratitude.
On of the patients she met was Angela Terry who appreciated the princess’ visit. The 71-year-old cancer patient who met the princess during her visit told People magazine, “She was there to say thank you to the people who had looked after her, talk to patients who were in a similar situation.”
Further talking about the inspiration the visit provided, Terry added, “It was a great message of hope because she looked so well. We don’t need to know what cancer she had. We just know she’s been through surgery, she’s been through chemo — and one year later, my goodness, look, she is here.”
Princess Kate’s cancer was revealed to the public last year in March, and she spent most of that year out of the spotlight to focus on her health. In September, she announced that she had completed chemotherapy and then in January that she was in remission.
Terry, who serves as the non-executive chair of EGFR Positive UK, a charity for mutation-driven lung cancer, was diagnosed with EGFR-positive lung cancer in 2019. “My cancer is uncurable but treatable and I’m on medication that keeps the cancer under control but at some point the cancer will mutate and find a way around it,” Terry told PEOPLE.
Talking about Kate’s visit, Terry also said, “She has such poise and elegance, extremely genuine and sincere. She is very personable. I watched her talking to other patients and she’s amazing.”
The cancer patient also appreciated the timing of the visit. “It might have been difficult if she had come in talking about her experience about being in remission first because some people who are really very ill might never get to remission and that would have felt tricky. But she chose to do that after she had left which speaks volumes,” said Terry.
Further explaining herself, she added, “When I read later in the day that Kate is in remission, that doesn’t mean she’s through it. This disease changes you, but it also gives you an opportunity to think: ‘Okay, who am I now? Who do I want to be?’ It’s an opportunity to be true to yourself and choose to let certain things go, friendships or other things that no longer make sense. It’s such a weird disease, it stops you and makes you evaluate and review your life which can be exciting.”
The visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital was a surprise, and the princess and her husband, Prince William, have become patrons of the hospital following her treatment there.
