March 22, (THEWILL)- The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, disclosed on Friday, that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is in the early stages of receiving chemotherapy treatment.
In a personal message recorded in the gardens of Windsor Castle, by the BBC, Kate said her condition had been discovered after she had major abdominal surgery in January.
After weeks of speculation about her health, Kate said she and her husband, Prince William, had needed time to explain the situation to their three children, George,10, Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5.
“This of course came as a huge shock and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,
“As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them and to reassure them that I am going to be OK”, Catherine said.
The palace said the Princess had started her chemotherapy treatment in late February.
Kate, 42, had been admitted to the London Clinic on January 16, for major abdominal surgery. At the time, the palace refused to confirm what she was being treated for but said the condition was non-cancerous.
Kate said it was only after the surgery that the cancer had been found. The king is also currently being treated for cancer.
In her statement made public on Friday, and which began with words of thanks for those who had sent messages of support, Kate said she felt well and was “getting stronger every day. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team, who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful.
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.
“As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirit. Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too. As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both.”
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