To clarify, there is no secrecy involved in dealing with cancer. A diagnosis entails a series of referrals and a multitude of scans and tests. These include ultrasounds, MRIs, PET scans, colonoscopies, bronchoscopies, endoscopies, needle biopsies, razor biopsies, or liquid biopsies. Many of these procedures necessitate disrobing, or almost entirely disrobing, under a gown, sometimes waiting alongside other anxious individuals in similar attire in a large room before being examined by unfamiliar medical professionals who use various tools to explore body parts not typically exposed. Oftentimes, these tests need to be repeated or different ones ordered to eliminate potential concerns.
“I’ve been exposed in front of numerous individuals by now. You start to lose that feeling of, ‘My body is private,’” expressed Isabel Blumberg, my gynecologist, who was the first to inform me of my breast cancer diagnosis in 2019, having battled cancer herself.
In a video released by Kensington Palace on Friday, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, disclosed her cancer diagnosis after over six weeks of silence and requested privacy. “We trust that you will comprehend that, as a family, we now require some time, space, and privacy as I undergo my treatment,” she stated while nervously twisting her slender hands. Undoubtedly, a princess may skip the waiting rooms and access a level of medical care beyond reach for most. However, she cannot escape the intrusions and humiliations of cancer—the apprehensive wait for test results, the jolt of the news, the sequence of treatment decisions that no young, healthy individual ever envisions having to confront. The treatment process can seem like a grueling, never-ending intrusion.
Catherine made her diagnosis public in a video unveiled on Friday. BBC Studios, via Getty Images
Furthermore, due to Catherine’s royal status, the infringements extended further: the rampant and relentless speculation regarding her health issues, the purported unauthorized breaches of her medical records, which are under investigation by the London Clinic where she underwent “major abdominal surgery.” “There is no tolerance at our facility for those who deliberately violate the trust of any of our patients or colleagues,” remarked Al Russell, the clinic’s CEO.
Even in matters of health, maintaining privacy is a challenging feat for a public figure, and since her marriage to Prince William in 2011, Kate Middleton has been under constant scrutiny. Her physical appearance—her legs, hair, posterior, attire—has been scrutinized like that of any female celebrity, but also due to her royal status and responsibilities.