The Princess Of Wales Shares Moving Moments with Cancer Patients

Claire's just finished treatment. Please don't worry. What journey? The Princess of Wales visited the Christie Centre in Manchester, where she met patients and staff at one of Europe's leading cancer centres. Princess Catherine took time to speak to multiple patients undergoing treatment, including Claire, who had just finished her treatment and was about to ring the bell, sharing the moment with the Princess of Wales. Throughout the visit, Catherine reinforced her view of holistic and alternative therapies being just as important as main treatment to treat the whole patient when going through cancer, candidly citing her own experience whilst going through treatment to connect to many of the patients. Catherine arrived by car at the Christie Centre on a grey day in Manchester and quickly started connecting with many of the patients there. I'd love to speak to you as well. I wish I could do more. The Princess then moved on to meet a nurse and former acupuncturist who had taught one of her patients how to perform it on himself, meaning he could manage his own treatment in his own way to help ease his symptoms. It's really fantastic that within this clinical setting, we have got these therapeutic services alongside, because I think, from a personal perspective, that's been massively helpful for yourself as it's been for you too. Absolutely, yeah. That's what I think's been amazing. Helping me out with side effects of treatment, and it's just, I've been using self-help sponsor, which I got from Kylie, and I'm still doing it, and it's made a massive difference for me. I stopped doing it recently to see if it's still having effects, and I got back on it as soon as I could. It's made a massive difference. He was very gracious in allowing me to teach him how to do it, and he's a very good student, I have to add. For us, it's all about what that patient's experience is, so everything that they tell us, they inform it, so it transforms us, and to have you as an advocate for things like Confirmation Therapy, because I was actually saying before, you might not realise, but last year, when Neil was in the paper to tell everyone about the acupuncture, there was an article of you in it as well, so I feel like we're all meant to meet at some point. And then came arguably the most emotional part of the visit. Princess Catherine met Claire, who had just finished undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Claire and her loved ones were there to support her as she rang the bell to mark the end of her treatment, and the moment speaks for itself. She'll end up crying. She would have to edit it, she would have to edit her appointment. Yeah, you wouldn't have known. You wouldn't have known. Claire's just finished treatment. Well done. Thank you. Please don't worry. What journey? Do you need to have one? Yeah. Well done, what an amazing journey. Amazing. It's tough. How nice of you. Well done. I know it's just as hard to have loved ones near to you. This is your date. Ring that bell, girl. Go on, Claire. You've done it, love. Moving on, the princess viewed the art room at the Christy and its regulars, who use art and creativity to distract themselves from their ongoing treatment. Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Sam. Nice to meet you. Yes, brilliant. Thank you very much. It is a lovely space, isn't it? It's fantastic. It's just absolutely amazing. We're so lucky. Everything has been designed around an art room, so this is a proper art room. The views out the window, the architecture, everything is brilliant. I'd love to hear a little bit about how it's helped you. Well, it's absolutely wonderful for me. It's just been a life saver. I came upon it completely by accident. I was going, where's Scott? He's next door. And honestly, I've just never looked back. I've just absolutely loved it. And what was it about art that just took your mind completely away from everything? Not just the fact that it's a hospital, diagnosis, and you go through treatment. It's just total concentration on something that I've never done before. And being encouraged to play. Encouraged all the time. And this is what that's been. You're just playing. Yes. That's very much what I wanted. Just play, just have fun. We've actually set up something if you want to have a go. And for yourself, how long have you been coming here? Just over three years. I've been painting most of my life. Pat taught me most of the things I do. This is so far away from clinic. It's an oasis. It really is in a hospital. And it's about mental health. You can talk about anything from the cost of tomato ketchup to AI in art. So it's real friendship and being able to talk. But often treatment, I don't know about you, but I didn't even have the ability to read or focus on anything. And actually colour was my way of just exploring interesting things and being able to do something that didn't require an end product or an end finished piece but actually just a way of playing. Can I introduce you to Phil Hawke Phil's art gardener. Very nice to meet you Phil, well done. I was just noticing as I was walking past. It's beautiful. I love the fact that the gardener sits in front of the painting as well. So many people can see it. Try and keep it open. Right the way through here. I can accommodate 4 o'clock in the morning. Hello. How are you? What's your name? How are you doing today? Have you come in for treatment? Yes. How did that go? You've had a few face sessions. And how do you find it afterwards? Does it make you feel really tired? I was sick the other day but I'm fine now. Is your body getting a bit used to it? Have you had chemotherapy as well? Yes. Do you get looked after really nicely here by the nurses? They're a great team aren't they? Yes. I've just been looking at the garden. Have you been out there? It's beautiful. What do you enjoy doing when you're coming in here? What makes a difference to you? I know it's horrible having all these treatments but what makes a difference? I've just been seeing the art room. They've got some good facilities. Have you ever been in there? Maybe one day. How long have you been coming in for? She's had a year of treatment at the Children's and then she's just come here recently. Do you like the rooms? No. Nice to meet you. Good to meet you. It's amazing to have this space. It just doesn't feel clinical. It's really nice. Chill with your friends. Have you had treatment today? I'm going to have to get treatment later on. Come and meet people who've gone through similar experiences. It makes it a lot easier. I was just saying how isolating it can sometimes feel not knowing where to go to and also thinking about experiencing the difficulties and emotional struggles and actually being able to share that with other people who've got their own journeys. Sometimes you do learn from downstairs as well. And just as she was leaving Princess Catherine met more patients outside the centre, including Jawad, a young cancer patient who had been inspired by the Princess's own journey. Hello. Very nice to meet you. What's your name? Jawad. Good luck. Very nice to meet you. Of course you can. He's been looking at all your journeys through your cancer treatment and Jawad's been inspired by you. There'll be a day where he can ring the bell to say he's got a journey. Jawad has chronic myeloid leukemia so he can't take any treatment. It's very hard because Jawad's had two liver transplants. He had to be informed by Princess. So it's been hard. Thank you so much. Well done. Good luck. Thank you.