Meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace was ‘a real pinch-me moment’, according to a Suffolk cancer survivor, following a special event for the charity which supported her.
Sudbury resident Rachel Mann described the honour of attending a royal reception, in recognition of the work by cancer care organisation Hope for Tomorrow.
She was invited to represent the charity for the occasion, having previously been one of its patients in 2017.
Reception for Hope for Tomorrow at Buckingham Palace. From left: CEO Tina Seymour; operations co-ordinator Jayne Foster; cancer care unit driver Bryan Baird; former patient Rachel Mann; and high value partnership manager Emma Bowles. Picture supplied by Hope for Tomorrow.
After receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer at the age of 39, Rachel underwent her treatment on board Frisbey – Hope for Tomorrow’s West Suffolk-based mobile cancer unit – outside Sudbury Community Health Centre.
Representatives of the charity were invited to meet the King – who himself was diagnosed with cancer last year – as part of a reception in honour of health groups and community projects that support cancer patients.
Rachel said: “It was a true honour and privilege to attend the event at Buckingham Palace with Hope for Tomorrow.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to speak to representatives from so many other charities – whether raising awareness of the disease or helping to make the lives of those with a diagnosis a little easier.
“It was certainly an evening I’ll never forget.”
Emma Bowles, high value partnership manager at Hope for Tomorrow, said: “It was an amazing experience.
“We had time to talk to the King and Queen Camilla, to share the essential community-based cancer care and services we provide in the county and across the UK.
“Their current personal experience and journey was very much front of mind and they showed real interest in what we do, which was very heartening.
“It was an important moment for us and we hope that more public awareness and support will come from the occasion.”