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| Thornton Heath | |
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Centre Talk Newsletter - January 2001 Prince Charles visits SECHC HRH Prince Charles and his entourage had cause to be moved by the bravery of South East Cancer Help Centre members during his recent visit. Smiles all round masked many a tragic personal story of sickness or bereavement.
One young man, whose cancer has obliged him to take up residency in Mayday Hospital, was collected by Jennifer Mollett, who has been hit by family anxieties of her own, and brought to the Centre to meet the Prince. A lady, discharged just the previous day from Charing Cross Hospital, gritted her teeth against the pain as she waited patiently for his arrival. Another came straight from a memorial service for her husband. Yet another is terminally ill... The stories are endless; the nobility immense. Prince Charles spoke at length with every one, commiserating here and sharing a joke there. Thoroughly at ease with all, he put everyone at their ease. The Prince arrived last December 5th to a smiling welcome by Chairman Eve Lister and several of the Trustees of the Centre.
The main room was divided into tables devoted to various activities - hypnotherapy, crafts, counselling, groups, art and, of course the Panto. Therapies were also demonstrated in the treatment rooms. The Prince spent time at every table, enquiring about aspects of cancer with openness and genuine interest, demonstrating admirable stamina for one reaching the end of a jam-packed rainy day in Croydon. Watching demonstrations He sipped Earl Grey with a dessertspoonful of Tesco honey as he witnessed demonstrations of hypnotherapy by Darren Marks, reflexology by Eve Smith, and shiatsu by Wendy Newton. Prince Charles revealed himself to be extremely well informed about complementary medicine and cancer, which is hardly surprising since his work with hospices and as Patron of Macmillan Cancer relief is well-known.
An avid promoter of the use of complementary medicine in tandem with orthodox treatments, he is Founder and Patron of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine (FIM) which exists 'to promote the development and delivery of safe, effective and efficient forms of healthcare to patients and their families through encouraging greater collaboration between all forms of healthcare.' FIM has received a £1m grant from the King's Fund, of which Prince Charles is President, to develop better regulation for complementary therapy practitioners. The honour of a royal visit, from the heir to the throne to boot, recognises the role the South East Cancer Help Centre is playing in supporting cancer sufferers and their carers. It confirms the growing acceptance of the importance of complementary therapies in the treatment of this ever more widespread disease.
Charlie is our Darling! And if the Prince's visit did the Centre much good, this was returned in kind by members as several revised negative opinions of him, whilst others confirmed him as a 'very caring man.' The consensus now is most definitely that Charlie is our Darling. Bobbie Dahdi STOP PRESS Returning after the Christmas Break, I was delighted to receive a letter from the Assistant Private Secretary (who had so efficiently organised the visit) of His Royal Highness, expressing the pleasure which the Prince of Wales had derived from his visit and sending Prince Charles' "warmest good wishes and heartfelt thanks" to everyone at the Centre. Eve |
