On Friday, March 22, Kate Middleton stopped the world by breaking news that shocked the international community: she has cancer and is starting chemotherapy treatment.
Last January, the Princess of Wales underwent planned abdominal surgery and, although at first everything seemed to be under control, doctors told her that they had found cancer in her body.
In the weeks leading up to the announcement, social media became abuzz with theories and speculation about the health of Prince William's wife, which increased when it was discovered that Kesington Palace had published a photoshopped photo ( image for which Middleton apologized in the first person).
The appearance of the Princes of Wales at a farmers market also did not help to reassure fans, who could not believe that the aristocrat did not make a video to reassure her followers. Finally, the audiovisual piece arrived.
The princess acknowledged in her speech that it had taken her so long to speak to the audience because the diagnosis caught her by surprise and because she had needed a few days to process all the information. Furthermore, both she and her husband were looking for the right words to communicate the news to her children.
As published by the British newspaper The Sun, the video of Kate announcing that she suffers from cancer has led to an increase in awareness among the population. The newspaper reported that cancer and NHS charities have seen a significant increase in the number of online visitors following the launch of the audiovisual statement.
Professor Peter Johnson, head of cancer at NHS England, said Kate's decision to go public with her diagnosis "will save lives" as web visits for medical information, prevention and screening are doubling. of visits than before: ''Receiving a cancer diagnosis turns your life upside down and talking about it can be really difficult. The Princess of Wales speaking bravely about her diagnosis will help others to do the same. Thanks to this, we have seen an increase in the number of people visiting our website for vital information about signs and symptoms.''
The Cancer Research UK portal experienced a 15% increase in visits last Friday due to what they call the 'Kate effect'. ''These figures show how high-profile cancer cases can encourage people to know more or think about their own health. If people notice something that is not normal for them or that does not go away, they should consult their GP,'' said its executive director Michelle Mitchell.
Meanwhile, Macmillan Cancer Support had 10% more visits last weekend compared to last year. Its chief executive, Gemma Peters, reflected on how positive this will be in combating the disease: ''By sharing her news, the Princess of Wales has raised awareness of these concerns and will help encourage other people who have doubts to visit to your GP and seek help.
Google data has also revealed that the English population became noticeably interested in the topic in the days following the announcement, as searches were around 50% higher than usual.
