Catherine Health Update

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

She has released a video to state that she has completed her cancer treatment.

news.sky.com/story/kate-health-update-live-kate-has-new-perspective-on-everything-as-diagnosis-to-remain-private-13211996

I don't think they're in a bind.

They've drawn a line and are sticking to it. And aren't bending to the voices on SM who say they should have drawn it somewhere else (whether that's dressed up as helpful concern, a call for more transparency or whatever)

On the PR subject, the BBC podcast When It Hits the Fan, have covered the video and I found it interesting to listen to.

As an ordinary NHS cancer patient, I found Catherine's words hit the nail on the head.

I found the family/nature imagery complemented that message, and it resonates with my experience.

The overall Timotei vibe I found a bit schmaltzy, but others here who are more familiar with Instagram tell me that is the style of that medium, and it does seem to have landed very well.(And, hey, who can blame them for a bit of OTT riposte after all the mud slung at yhem and their marriage earlier.)

As an ordinary NHS cancel.patient, what I am not doing is a bitter, resentful how-dare-she-the-overprivileged-cow froth. She is one of my club and I am glad she is doing well.

I don’t think they are in a bind either.

They drew the line back in the earlier part of the year. They will put out what they want and when they want and this will mostly be on their own social media platform. I think that’s a good move.

@AnnieMcFanny
Your post hits the nail right on the head. She may be overprivileged but she is part of our club.

They should shut right up.

P.S. edited to add, your post was very moving, thank you for sharing, and wishing you a continued remission

My sympathies for your diagnosis @drivinmecrazy and wish you good health going forward, as well as others dealing with a cancer diagnosis either of themselves or family.

As pointed out it doesn't have to be a race to the bottom. Problems in the NHS and wider care system are widespread, often cruel and difficult for even the most sympathetic politicians to resolve - I can't say I have much faith in this government any more than the previous one to resolve them.
It's certainly not up to the Royall family to resolve even if they could which they obviously can't.

As Catherine said life can change in an instant.

This week one of my patients was telling me about her son, who is severely brain damaged as a result of a drugs overdose. It wasn't suicide. Just teenagers on a camping trip messing around with drugs. He very nearly died and ten years on he is (in her words) like a five year old. She has to help him dress, supervise him at all times etc etc.
she herself is chronically ill with heart and respiratory problems often using oxygen at home. She gets 24 hours a week help with her son.

Her life changed in an instant. The NHS saved her son's life but ongoing care and support is minimal when she is barely capable of managing her own life.

It's not a race to the bottom. Anyone can suffer tragedy, wealth might cushion the bills but it doesn't make it any less painful and tragic.

I agree and disagree. I am interested in the PR angle because I think the way Catherine has chosen to communicate says something about how she relates to the Country. I believe it is legitimate to discuss that in the position she is in.

Do I think it is terrible that she almost had to release something, yes I do. But it is the reality of being a working senior member of the Royal family and I think she understands that and is appreciative of the public support she has received and wanted to give something in return. It reminds me of her speaking about standing on the steps with George. She acknowledged it was a hard thing to do as new parents and so soon after giving birth but she also said they felt they wanted to thank the public for their support by giving them a glimpse of George.

It's a difficult tightrope they walk and I think it's also important for the public to look at our own responses and reasons for those responses around what is legitimate to discuss and what is not. No one wants to fall on the wrong side of that either.

William and Catherine I think have a core of steel and are not swayed from what they think is right.

Agree @Rhaidimiddim
Also wishing well to @AnnieMcFanny

William and Catherine strike me as very principled people. Harry’s peccadillos were tolerated and he was indeed loved because, well, he’s family and we all suck up stuff from family. But Meghan? William and Kate saw more than we plebs and clearly alarm bells were clanging from the start.

The storm in the media this year over each statement, photo or video has shown that the media will always demand more, social media will always demand more. All an individual with a public role can do is choose how they will communicate, what they will communicate and leave it at that

If nothing else I think PR in an age of social media and 24 hour news can no longer even hope to control the narrative. Choose a line and stick to it at least limits the life cycle of any story people choose to pick up

Wise words as usual, @MrsLeonFarrell
It seems to me that we've got so used to those who like to spill every intimate detail on SM that for some there's almost an expectation we'll get to learn everything and that people are obliged to share

And they're not

@MrsLeonFarrell I don’t disagree that there is an interesting discussion to be had with regard to Palace PR. My issue is that I don’t think this thread, which is about a woman’s personal journey through a traumatic experience, is the place to be having this discussion, neither do I think the other Catherine diagnosis thread was. This is peoples medical information, they share as they choose and that should be respected and not criticised and pulled to pieces for ‘PR’ reasons, genuine or otherwise.

As I say, it leaves a bad taste when I read certain posts.

Very happy to see she is doing better. I like them and respect their right to manage their own narrative however they see fit. Better to take it too far than let speculation run wild imho.

It did take me back to circa 1997, mind:

Yes I understand what you are saying. I think I'm resigned to threads splitting focus at this point and sometimes I'm willing to go down the byways. Often I just duck out at that stage but the way media influences people is something I'm interested in.

I thought they really listened to all the remarks that were mentioned here and elsewhere which is something they hardly do .
They really wanted to put an end to all the where is kate hysteria and crazy conspiracies.

There will always be a level of disparity , there is no denying that.
but are people being denied Cancer treatments in the UK? Of course not , cancer patients rights are protected by law.

Beaches and woods are free and abundant for everyone to visit and frolic about in , no idea why some posters are enraged by that.

but I really do think that Kate is very fortunate to have a very close family , it seems her parents were constantly with her this whole time.

I think this sums up my position. My instinctive reaction was that the video was not really my cup of tea. I also wondered if now that summer is over the "where is Catherine?" brigade would start ramping up again and this was an attempt to pre-empt that.

They no doubt live a very privileged lifestyle but having lost my DP to cancer it is a vile illness and I feel very much for anyone who is touched by it.

You can not be a fan of the video but equally feel that this is just the way she has chosen to deal with what has happened to her. There is also no doubt that some will take this as an opportunity to stick the boot in again. ^^

Thank you. I shall listen to this.

I'm kind of surprised this is being chalked up as a PR fail. It seems very well received outside a small minority. I think it's interesting that the 'poor Palace PR' narrative has reared it's ugly head again around Catherine.

Before I agree with your statement, I just want to say I am sorry about your DP.

I lost my DDad to cancer last year and it is truly horrifying. If this is the way Catherine wants to approach this who are we to judge.

The podcast don't see it as a failure. They talk about it as a different approach which is what I found interesting.

And if they said she is like a vampire is that bullying or just a opinion?

I think the video is great. I believe the P&POW have been to Hell and back this year and this is their way - and their right - of giving the GBP the news they alwsys clamour for. When my mum had terminal cancer her greatest sorrow was not to see her grandchildren grow up; I cannot imagine the unbearable pain of the possibility of Catherine not seeing her children grow up, in addition to surgery/chemo/her marriage situation dissected to the nth degree.
She has come through the absolute toughest time; it is absolutely her right to celebrate this as she wishes.

I think.the fact that we are gettingba "poor palace PR" narrative from some quarters indicates just how large a PR coup it actually is.

Love love love it 😻

And most important of all, I am not sure they thought enough about how this film would come across to ordinary cancer patients suffering in the NHS system.

What a strange comment !
As an ordinary cancer patient ( doing ok) I was delighted to hear that Catherine is doing well . My terminally ill friend is also happy for her .

My Dad died of stage 4 lung cancer last year, I've personally had a recent "scare" (luckily then given the all clear).

I don't begrudge anyone (regardless of income or status) how they respond or react to their own personal diagnosis, treatment and outcome.

Being jealous won't help. There is always someone with a better outcome/different outcome to you.

When friends posted about their or their relatives successful treatments on SM in the past year, it made me pleased that someone had survived this awful disease. My dad had exemplary NHS care up to and after his diagnosis. Most people do.

What a bizarre and unhelpful pint of view to have.

It really is like trying to instigate a race to the bottom.