Catherine, Princess of Wales, visited The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust to see how funds raised through her National Three Peaks Challenge and her ongoing support are helping advance holistic cancer care for patients across the UK.
During the visit, Her Royal Highness heard about progress on the planned Centre for Holistic Wellbeing and Recovery and saw the site where the new centre will be built. She also met patients and heard first-hand how supportive and holistic care can help people during and after cancer treatment.
The Royal Marsden, a specialist cancer centre, champions a whole-person approach to cancer treatment and care. This approach considers not only a patient’s physical health, but also their emotional, spiritual and social wellbeing alongside clinical treatment.
A New Centre for Holistic Wellbeing and Recovery
Funds raised through the Princess of Wales’ National Three Peaks Challenge will help enable the development of a new specialist Centre for Holistic Wellbeing and Recovery at The Royal Marsden.
The funding will also support research into how complementary and supportive approaches, alongside clinical cancer care, can make a difference to people affected by cancer across the UK.
During her visit, the Princess heard about progress on the centre and spoke with patients about their experiences of supportive therapies during and after treatment.
Professor Sanjay Popat, Chief Medical Officer at The Royal Marsden, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales to The Royal Marsden today, and take the opportunity to thank her for raising funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and awareness of the importance of supportive therapies.”
Professor Sanjay Popat emphasized that integrating holistic therapies with medical treatment can significantly improve patients’ wellbeing, both during cancer treatment and long after it has ended.
Patients Share Their Experiences of Supportive Care
The Princess also met patients who spoke about the difference supportive therapies at The Royal Marsden had made during and following cancer treatment.
Mairead Griffin, Chief Nurse at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said patients valued the opportunity to speak with the Princess about how supportive therapies had helped them during and after cancer treatment. She added that the Princess’s continued support had been warmly received across the hospital community.
The visit also carried particular personal significance for Catherine, who received cancer care at The Royal Marsden.
She said:
“This was my small way of being able to give back and say thank you to you. I had incredible care here and support from a huge team and I’m really, really grateful on a personal level. But also the holistic care; the treatments and therapeutic support on the outside is so important, it makes a big difference.”
Catherine, Princess of Wales’ Cancer Journey
The Princess’ advocacy for holistic cancer care is closely connected to her own experience with cancer.
In March 2024, Catherine announced that cancer had been discovered following abdominal surgery earlier that year and that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. The specific type of cancer has not been publicly disclosed.
In September 2024, she announced that she had completed chemotherapy after what she described as an incredibly difficult period for her family. In January 2025, Catherine confirmed that she was in remission.
Since then, the Princess has spoken publicly about the wider impact of cancer and the challenges that may continue beyond active treatment.
Ahead of her National Three Peaks Challenge, she reflected on how cancer affects more than physical health, highlighting its emotional, psychological and spiritual impact.
“Cancer doesn’t just affect the body,” she said. “It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life.”
She also emphasized that the cancer journey can require support beyond medical treatment alone, an experience that has become closely connected with her advocacy for whole-person cancer care.
National Three Peaks Challenge Supporting Cancer Care
In June 2026, Catherine completed the National Three Peaks Challenge, climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours: Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.
The challenge was undertaken in support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and aimed to raise awareness of the importance of holistic care for people living with and beyond cancer.
For the Princess, the challenge was not simply a physical undertaking. She described it as an opportunity to reflect on life beyond a cancer diagnosis while giving something back following her own experience of treatment.
Funds raised through the challenge will now support the development of the Centre for Holistic Wellbeing and Recovery, as well as research into how supportive and complementary approaches can work alongside clinical cancer care.
The initiative reflects a broader approach to cancer care that recognises that the effects of the disease can extend beyond treatment itself, affecting emotional wellbeing, relationships, daily life and recovery.
Through the new centre, The Royal Marsden aims to strengthen whole-person care by supporting the wider physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of patients alongside their medical treatment.
Read more on OncoDaily: Kate Middleton Says Cancer “Changes How You Think and Feel” as She Completes National Three Peaks Challenge.
