William says past year “probably hardest in my life”

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

William has opened up about how difficult the past year has been with the cancer diagnosis of both his wife and father.

It’s nice to see some light being shed on the perspective of the loved ones of cancer sufferers. I hope that this might inspire a new patronage to help those in a similar position, especially knowing how privileged his family are in terms of comfort, wealth and access to top medical specialist.

news.sky.com/story/prince-william-says-past-year-probably-the-hardest-in-my-life-after-king-and-kate-diagnosed-with-cancer-13250126

Oh dear, how sad, what a shame.

@LadyGabriella to have your wife and dad both with cancer at the same time is horrendous, whoever you are. Especially when you have young children as well to think about

15 months after his Grandmother dies his wife has major surgery and is then diagnosed with cancer, and then the world goes batshit about her absence, spouting all sorts of insane theories, making him out to be an abuser etc. He's got three children who would be terrified about what their Mum is going through, and he has to do all that on the world stage.

And his father has cancer too.

And his cousin's husband - with whom he was apparently close - commits suicide.

And there's still all sorts of nonsense from the Press about his brother.

Yeah. That's a shit year whoever you are.

There are many posters on this thread who should be ashamed of themselves.

How would you like to have your private medical situation gossiped about?
How would you like people who don't know you to commentate on whether your year really has been as bad as you claim?

William didn't ask to be born a Prince. Kate married the man she loves. Neither of which gives anyone the right to comment on their private lives.

So you find his personal experience offensive because his wife didn’t have cancer over Christmas? Take a good look at yourself. It’s not a race to the bottom. It’s not “my cancer is worse than your cancer”. We’re all human beings at the end of the day. Some of us are more privileged than others, but cancer is still cancer at the end of the day. I find YOUR post offensive!

I work in hospital and have seen the bad side of cancer. Teenagers with blood cancers, young women dying of breast cancer in their 20’s, melanoma in 20s deaths, glioblastomas in young adults, the list is endless. I said I don’t doubt that any cancer diagnosis is bad, but there is a harsher side to what the royal family have faced. Even just by virtue of quicker diagnosis and treatment, never mind the better prognosis.

This is really offensive. I am a doctor and am basing my post based on the lived experience of the patients I have looked after.

The good side of cancer ? What is that ?
I was diagnosed with cancer , had surgery , a long, painful recovery then chemo which is brutal , utterly brutal .
However I still managed to enjoy Christmas.even though I wondered if I would see another one . Does that mean I didn’t see the bad side ?
It doesn’t matter how rich you are , cancer doesn’t differentiate.
I am horrified by some of the comments on this thread .

@LadyGabriella so would you rather one of them died so he could then legitimately be upset. My DF died from cancer but I still feel sorry for William and can’t imagine having to tell your 3 young children that mummy is sick. And he had a different harsh side with all the media intrusion and crap people were saying that other cancer sufferers/families don’t have to put up with

So you’ve not even been experienced it yourself yet you feel qualified to judge other people’s diagnosis. Would you tell this to a patient who didn’t have cancer over Christmas? Would you tell them they can’t moan because they got diagnosed in January but will be in remission by November? God help your poor patients with your lack of empathy. Shame on you!

@LadyGabriella
Thank God my doctor was kinder than you ! Shocking bedside manner.

@LadyGabriella do you tell some of your patients or their families that they really don’t know how shit cancer is because they didn’t have it over Christmas or it isn’t terminal or they are old so it doesn’t really matter?

"Lived experience" is experience people themselves have lived - the experience of patients you've looked after is their lived experience, not yours.
I am a doctor too - I don't expect my posts to be treated or moderated differently because of my medical training.
Besides, who knows who anybody really is on here?

I’m also a Dr (retired), have incurable cancer, and I feel sorry for the crap time the Royals have had. Doesn’t take away from anyone else’s experience.

Unfortunately for them they have to have their family difficulties and illnesses in the public eye - which cannot be easy.

Even if Catherine has had preferential treatment- that can only do so much. Cancer is still horrible and unpredictable and life changing.

William didn’t choose his life, and it has been a pretty awful year for him.

I doubt any of the RF gives a fuck about Dispatches!

Charming.

Absolutely this. Plus his poor kids will be going to school where all the teachers and their schoolmates will know their mother is very ill.

So in your opinion, there is a hierarchy of cancers. Right.

You are at most dealing with it 3rd hand.

My mother didn't make Christmas having been diagnosed in the May of that year. She died a month before.

Well said!!

Look, it's not a race to the bottom, there's no hierarchy of cancer it's a terrible diagnosis full stop. At the same time, if by 'dismiss' you mean not making a fuss about just how hard it was... what benefit is that going to bring?
Joe public has a very different experience.
So many died, and are still dying due to our broken primary care system that just bats people away until it's too late to be saved.
Illness is one thing but trying to keep your kids fed, roof over their heads etc is another.

I don't particularly like the RF but I have to say, William and Kate have grace. They've said the bare minimum necessary. Only answering when asked. Nothing more needs to be said really.

As a Nurse I find your posts offensive, lacking in empathy, inaccurate and entirely inappropriate.

There is definitely a hierarchy of Cancer, none are good but some are certainly more bloody awful than others.