Kate’s full comments today

While I don't think there's anything wrong with what she said today, here's her comments today in the context of speaking with patients, their families and staff at the visit to well-being centre at Colchester Hospital.

Source: princesscatherinemiddleton on Tumblr

“Having these creative avenues is really fantastic.”

“It's not just the patients, it's the family too. It's not just the cancer care, treatment, healing, it's about the whole person – mind, body and spirit. We know now that all those three dimensions matter to the recovery journey.”

What seems to be really fantastic is that there is a real personal approach: what helps one person – acupuncture or something – might not help another. Others might want different support and to talk to someone. Having gone through it myself, I understand the challenges of finding support.

Some people don’t have access and don’t necessarily know how this system can help them. Joining the dots for patients and families…while there might be fantastic community work going on, if it’s bitty and there isn’t one place and one body bringing these support networks together, it’s hard to reach out, particularly when you’re vulnerable. I can see it has such a transformative effect."

“It’s not just the patients, it’s the family too. It’s not just the cancer care, treatment, healing, it’s about the whole person – mind, body and spirit. We know now that all those three dimensions matter to the recovery journey.”

“Having these creative avenues is really fantastic.”

“What seems to be really fantastic is that there is a real personal approach: what helps one person – acupuncture or something – might not help another. Others might want different support and to talk to someone. Having gone through it myself, I understand the challenges of finding support.

Some people don’t have access and don’t necessarily know how this system can help them. Joining the dots for patients and families…while there might be fantastic community work going on, if it’s bitty and there isn’t one place and one body bringing these support networks together, it’s hard to reach out, particularly when you’re vulnerable. I can see it has such a transformative effect.

“It must make a difference to people coming in here, in knowing there are people who have been through it too. Even through the hard times and loss, there is a sense of hope and community through a space like this. From personal experience, [holistic support] was that lifeline you need post treatment, when you’re not receiving continuous care.

It’s looking at treatment and recovery as complemented. Looking at it from a mind, body and spirit perspective really matters. It’s great, well done.“

“That first-time diagnosis is a very scary journey. To feel a sense of hope and positivity [from speaking to people who have already been through it] is such a positive thing in what is otherwise a very scary and daunting experience.”

“It’s life-changing for anyone,’ she said. ‘Through first diagnosis or post treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the patient but also for the families as well. And actually it sometimes goes unrecognised, you don’t necessarily, particularly when it’s the first time [of diagnosis], appreciate how much impact it is going to have. You have to find your new normal and that takes time… and it’s a rollercoaster, it’s not one smooth plane, which you expect it to be. But the reality is it’s not, you go through hard times. And to have a place like this to have the support network, through creativity and singing or gardening whatever it might be is so valuable and it’s great this community has it. It would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support.”