The difference between cancer life as a royal and as a "lesser mortal"

[sixtyandsomething]

not to derail other threads..

I have nothing against the Princess of Wales, I am sure she is a lovely person and I wish her well. however, let's not pretend she is facing the same struggles as the rest of us.

I bet you £10 she hasn't had to deal with any of these! (feel free to add your own)

-40+ calls to DWP, often being left on hold for 2 hours or more
-many months delay in benefits being processed, leaving you without any income at all
-DWP advising you to "find a food bank"
-struggle up the hill on crutches to get a bus to chemo
-appointments delayed and cancelled, blood tests lost and repeated, regular system "crashes" leaving medical staff with no access to your notes.
-never seeing the same medical professionals twice.
-consultant appointments cancelled when you have already travelled several hours to the hospital
-telephone appointments you have to sit and wait by the phone for, for the whole day
-worry on crammed full bus when you are CEV
-getting off bus because it is too full
-getting of bus because you are vomiting
-sitting on the pavement for 3-4 hours after chemo in the dark and rain, because you are CEV and don't want to get back on a crammed bus in the rush hour
-commuters swearing at you because you move too slowly
-commuter kicking you out of the way because you move to slowly, and doing it with an air of indignation, like they feel seriously injured by having to touch something so disgusting with their foot
-minimum 18 hour wait in A and E before being admitted with infection - once it was 28 hours
-further many hour wait in ER before being admitted to wards.
-spending night on chair in corridor, after being admitted to a ward
-being asked to vacate chair in corridor so doctor can perform ECG on patient who is currently standing up with nowhere to sit
-being warned by hospital staff to sleep in your glasses so they are not stolen
-having to buy a constant stream of new clothes, and having to go to charity shops - on steroids? go up two sizes, no chemo? go down 3- surgery? get front opening everything, in a range of sizes.
-not being able have a clean the house, wash up, open the window even, without calling a friend to come and help.
-council refusing to empty your bins because you are not capable of moving them to the right place at the right time
-giving away your pets because you can't take care of them, or afford them
-being told the waiting list to see a physiotherapist is around a year

I could go on

I am so grateful for the treatment I have had, and I hope the Princess of Wales does well and recovers, but the two situations are not the same, even slightly, even if the disease is.

No, it doesn't stop the worry about the cancer, but it makes everything else easier

@Rockschooldropout I'm so sad to hear that but completely unsurprised. I've spent a significant amount of time in hospital and know I would do anything including risk death to stay out of there.

The Royal fawners on the other posts have no comprehension, or refuse to acknowledge that one day soon, they may be dying in a hospital chair ' fit for discharge ', or alone at home after being booted out.

There is no way this will ever happen to Kate or any other royal. Stress and complications of cancer or any other illness will absolutely impact quality of life when trying to manage these illnesses.

So sorry you have suffered too, but just because she's rich and Royal doesn't mean she's having it any easier, she's still a young mum with kids

But she literally is having it easier because she's royal.

Also, what does being a "young mum with kids" have to do with it? (Is 42 "young"?)

She’s obviously suffering, and no-one wishes that - but there is no comparison between the treatment Kate and Charles receive and the rest of the population. Where I live cancer sufferers have to get ( and pay for ) a fucking ferry to get chemotherapy / radiotherapy. Of course it’s easier for Kate, she doesn’t have to worry about actually getting treatment.

Your last sentence is clearly nonsense - how can you possibly claim that it makes no difference? I have private medical cover which means I have swift access to exceptional cancer care. Those who rely on the NHS are often left waiting for weeks. Of course it makes a difference!

I'm sorry OP. Your experience sounds absolutely awful. You're right - Kate Middleton won't have experienced this but she's still a mum to young children going through cancer which is a horrible and frightening experience.
I'd like to say my own experience of NHS care when I had cancer was excellent. Quick, efficient, caring. It couldn't have been better if I was at a private hospital.

But she's got a nanny, someone to do the shopping, housework, cooking, school trips etc etc.

Prince William has also been able to stay at home at times with her too.

None of this has happened with a friend with young children. Her husband has to be out at work and my friend is struggling emotionally and financially. She's also struggling to get the health care she needs.

It's so wrong!

💯 I find it fucking nauseating to see her all over the media when people have died just for delayed diagnosis.

I think this post (and some others) are just as distasteful as the newspaper article.

Kate didn't write it, and to the best of my knowledge she has never claimed to be the same as a 'lesser mortal'.

It can't be nice to have people using her cancer to make some sort of point, or to play top trumps.

Methinks some people dont like being confronted with what they voted for. Must be very uncomfortable!

There are actually lots of new cancer treatments available to those with money that are not available on NHS because of cost.

What about the people who didn't vote for it?

The "lesser mortals" have some benefits too compared to her. Like not having to explain to kids that contrary to popular belief daddy did not commissioned mummy's murder and the gossips kids might hear from parents about her being dad or locked up in basement or in divorce or run away etc are not true...

Sorey you had bad expiry. The atate should absolute do better. I have not seen anywhere that she "doea cancer better than others".

Yeah thats why i wrote SOME people 🙄

I am sure that Kate will have worries that every cancer patient suffers. She has the added pressure of being in the public eye, and needing to look fabulous whenever she appears anywhere (not too hard as she's gorgeous anyway).

But you are right about the fact that she won't struggle with all the things you mentioned. You have had such a hard time, and I hope things go well for you.

She obviously has it easier financially and doesn't have to worry about housework and bills etc but physically and emotionally I would think she's the same as any other person who has cancer.

I’m sorry you’re going through this op. And I’m sure you know many people with cancer do not struggle as you are having to, as a lot of it is about finances. It’s not just the royals who have their own cars etc.

Some of these replies defy belief. Please read the OP again and really take your time to put yourselves in OP's shoes, step by step. I'm so sorry to hear of your struggles OP. We can wish Catherine well, whilst also acknowledging the struggles of others in less privileged positions.

I'm confused. Does Kate have cancer or pre-cancer? I thought it was the latter, as per the video she released. Why is everyone talking about her as if she has cancer?

It does make it easier. For all the listed reasons in the OP.
Yes she will find her own situation hard, as she would, because it is her own and she is suffering it. I’m not taking away her experience, it’s not physically or emotionally easier, but it is definitely practically easier.. easier to get medical help, financially easier, to be sick as a rich person or a royal. It’s foolish to say otherwise especially to someone evidently having a much much harder time.

Agreed OP. The stark differences are incomparable.

I also don't like that idea that someone said to be undergoing cancer treatment presents as though she was perfectly fit and healthy (obviously it’s not the case and clearly due to hair make up and a striking outfit) but I think it does a disservice to those going through the same as her or worse, who are utterly exhausted, depressed, weak and generally cancer patient-ish and needing to stay off work.

It suggests if Kate could do it so should you.

Is it? When staff try to steal your medical records? When people speculate about you on line, make up heinous lies? When kids tell your kids at school? When you’re forced to make a video statement when you’re incredibly ill?

it’s hard in different ways. And Kate is far from the only person to get cancer who isn’t on benefits.

You're not wrong.

And didn't she have precautionary chemo, rather than treatment type of chemo? Horrible experience but not quite staring death in the face stuff.

I suppose the pressure to not look a mess must add an additional layer for her. But her chances of surviving something are much higher than a lesser mortal's.

She's not been in the public eye for 6 months. She is undergoing preventative chemotherapy, which possibly wouldn't be available to some because they would not have had their cancer caught early enough. Much of this is due to funding cuts. Her family and friends employ an enormous number of people to ensure they can pay as little tax as possible. Her late grandmother in law, despite being head of State squirreled away millions in offshore tax havens. Where would that that tax otherwise go? Admittedly under this government it seems to have gone on cronies but it should have gone on public services and reducing waiting lists.

This is horrible, Kate is a few months post surgery and the Mcmillon trust recommend work. She wanted to go to her father in laws birthday parade with her children, support her family, it’s appalling , utterly appalling to say she shouldn’t because it might make other cancer sufferers feel bad.

each patient should do what fits for them. Attacking at this low level is awful. Shame on you.