Kate’s diagnosis prompts surge in visits to NHS and cancer charity websites

The Princess of Wales’ brave decision to reveal her cancer diagnosis has led to a huge increase in visits to cancer charity websites and the NHS.

In a video statement released on Friday night, Kate announced that she had started preventive chemotherapy and told other cancer patients: “You are not alone.”

Following her announcement, visits to the cancer information page of the NHS website increased almost fivefold, while Macmillan and Cancer Research UK also saw significant increases in online traffic.

In the 24 hours after she posted the message, the NHS page was visited 2,840 times, a 373% increase on the previous week.

In the three hours after the video was posted, the NHS page on cancer symptoms also attracted 4,172 visits, an average of one visit every three seconds.

Meanwhile, Macmillan’s said its information and support pages on its website had been visited nearly 100,000 times over the weekend.

The same page was visited nearly 50,000 times in one day, with the Cancer Research Center reporting a similar “boost.”

According to Macmillan, more than 1,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every day, which equates to one person every 90 seconds.

Gemma Peters, chief executive of Macmillan, said: “In sharing this news, the Princess of Wales raises awareness of these concerns and will help encourage others with concerns to see their doctor and seek support .

“The Prince and Princess of Wales will be related to many people at this time.

“A parent’s first thought after being diagnosed with cancer is how it might affect their child and whether talking to them about it will worry them, but it’s important to give them the opportunity to talk openly about their fear.”

Similarly, Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell said online traffic increased by more than 15% on Friday.

“These figures show how high-profile cancer cases can serve as reminders, encouraging people to learn more or think about their own health,” she said.

“People should talk to their GP if they notice something is not normal for them or won’t go away. Catching cancer at an early stage means treatment is more likely to be successful.

Symptoms of cancer can vary but may include sudden lumps, changes in bowel habits, and unexplained bleeding. The NHS website says one in two people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime, with the most common types being breast, lung, prostate and bowel cancer.

Similar changes in lifestyle can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing cancer, including eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and exercising regularly.

The Princess of Wales discovered she had cancer after undergoing major abdominal surgery in January, which was thought not to be cancerous.

After being discharged from a London clinic, subsequent tests revealed she had cancer and was in the early stages of chemotherapy.

“This is of course a huge shock and William and I have been doing everything we can to deal with and manage this matter privately for the sake of our young family,” she said.

“As you can imagine, it took time. It took me some time to recover from major surgery before I could start treatment. But most importantly, we took the time to explain everything to them

“George, Charlotte and Louis did it in a way that suited them and reassured them that I would be fine.

“As I tell them; I am getting healthier and getting stronger every day by focusing on things that help me heal; in my mind, body and spirit.”