British King Charles, stricken with cancer, expresses ‘lifelong admiration’

Britain’s King Charles III has expressed his “lifelong admiration” for cancer charities. The monarch paid tribute to cancer support groups and thanked the public for their well wishes.

King Charles has spoken of his “lifelong admiration” for cancer charities and expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” for the messages of support he has received since his cancer diagnosis.

According to The Observer, the king added that it was “gratifying” that the announcement of his illness had helped shed light on organizations supporting cancer patients and their families. Charities say the public spotlight on cancer has allowed them to highlight issues they had previously struggled to highlight.

In a statement released on Saturday evening, the king said: “I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes that I have received in recent days. As all those affected by cancer probably know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement. It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped raise public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organizations that support cancer patients and their families across the UK and the world. My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is made even greater by my personal experience.”

As The Observer recalls, 75-year-old Charles is at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk for the duration of his treatment and has in the meantime handed over government duties to Prince William, but continues to deal with official documents.

The British monarch was diagnosed with an unspecified cancer after undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate gland – tests revealed a form of cancer that is not associated with the prostate gland – and officials said he wanted to share his diagnosis to help the public better understand the diseases.

Charities with royal patrons said they had seen extraordinary attention since the news broke.

There has been a 500% increase in the number of people visiting Prostate Cancer UK’s website and the number of men using the online risk checker to find out if they should have a prostate test – usually a blood test.

King Charles III is a patron of Marie Curie and Macmillan Cancer Support, which said visits to its website had also hit a four-year high.

The charity Maggie’s, of which the Queen is a patron, said the King’s decision to continue working was important because most people assume cancer patients give up work. This means that people with cancer often do not tell their employers, and 40% even take time off work to attend appointments rather than go on sick leave.

Laura Lee, chief executive of Maggie’s, said people who attend Maggie’s centers worry about keeping their jobs and not being promoted if they reveal their condition.

“Anyone diagnosed with cancer should know that they have employment rights, but also know that they do not have to tell co-workers until they are ready, if at all.”

Welsh charity Tenovus Cancer Care, backed by the Princess Royal, said it was trying to persuade more men to join its Nationwide Cancer Society for Wales, which aims to give cancer patients and their families a greater say in how their treatment is managed.

Chief executive Judy Rees said the public response had been “overwhelming”. “Despite the dire circumstances, it was really nice to see how much it had raised awareness and sparked conversations,” she said. – Cancer continues to be a difficult problem for many people, especially men. Men are more likely to get cancer, but we are seeing more women turning to our services. This means that there will be many men who will not receive help. We hugely admire the decision to share King’s diagnosis and hope the national conversation will help other men open up and reach out. The more we talk about this, the more lives we will save.”