Readers wish the Princess of Wales the best after her cancer diagnosis and reflect on their own experiences with the disease
In today’s MetroTalk, readers are reacting to the somber news of Princess Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis.
The announcement of Princess of Wales, preventative chemotherapy has stirred both sympathy and reflection among our readers, prompting discussions on the accessibility of timely medical treatments, that they, or sadly, their loved ones weren’t able to receive.
Meanwhile, is £100k enough to live on? That’s a very decent wage for most of us in the UK, where the average pre-tax salary is around £34,900, but not in South West Surrey, according to the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt. What do you think?
Share what you think about these topics and more in the comments
My life, unfortunately, is in the hands on the NHS
I wish the Princess of Wales all the best with her preventative chemotherapy battle against cancer. I only wish that I was receiving as diligent care as she is.
I am fighting cancer. Unfortunately, my chemo is not preventative – it is fighting an aggressive cancer. And what’s more, after being told I had cancer on January 9, I had to wait until February 29 for my chemo to start its fight against the aggressive cancer.
I believe if the care I received was in line with what the Princess of Wales is receiving, I would be looking at a much better prognosis than I am living with. My life, unfortunately, is in the balance and in the hands of the NHS.
Staff great, equipment great, but the systems and process they employ less so.
Matt F, Orpington
METRO TALK – HAVE YOUR SAY
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Readers wish Princess Kate the best
Regarding the sad news about Princess Kate (Metro, Mon), I’m sure I speak on behalf of all Metro readers when I wish her the all the very best. Jenny Pell, Wimbledon
While it is a great shame that Kate has been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 42, my sympathy lies more with the UK’s 3million cancer sufferers who are unlikely to have had immediate treatment.
A lot of people face financial hardship, too, if they have to give up working because of their challenging treatment. Not so royalty. Cancer can destroy lives, but a lot more so when it mercilessly attacks young children, such as my seven-year-old son, who lost his battle against the dreaded disease M-C Orton, Newcastle
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Naturally it’s a shock to hear anyone reveal they have been diagnosed with cancer. But, honestly, all is not lost, especially with the advanced technologies in modern countries. My sister had her breast removed seven years ago. My two brothers-in-law had treatments for prostate cancer five years ago. All are well.
You just need to be alert to any unusual signs in your body and tell your doctor.
Tom, Northumberland
People had some wild theories about the editing on the picture Kate Middleton released on Mother’s Day (Credits: via Reuters)
Message to all conspiracy theorists: two weeks ago, you became overexcited about the length of a sleeve on the cardigan of a little girl – Princess Charlotte – in a family photograph.
This week you will, no doubt, be doing your incessant gossiping and theorising about the health issues of a woman – the Princess of Wales – and her father-in-law.
This family, like any other family, should be allowed their privacy. We don’t need your speculation. Leave them all alone. Sue Spindler, Via Email
It is not surprising Russia, Iran and China are trolling the Royal Family. After all, the Russians, for example, erased their own royals.
It is disgraceful to stoop so low. Harry John, Cambridgeshire
Cash is still king?
Banks don’t have cash? Could this be why they’re disappearing? (Credits: Getty Images)
Regarding going cashless (MetroTalk, Tue), if there was no such thing as cash, how would you do a car boot sale? Bob, Birmingham
Joe from London (MetroTalk, Thu) is obviously against anyone using cash, calling it ‘filthy’ and having ‘been near bums and groins in pockets’. What a ridiculous comment!
Most people have cash in their purses or pockets, but no way is it anywhere near their bums. Even in trousers, it is protected by cloth in between.
If Joe wants to use cards all the time, good luck to him, but what will he do if contactless asks for his PIN number? He’d have to type in his PIN on numbers that other people have touched. Ann Forshaw, York
I was left gobsmacked after I went to withdraw £2,000 as a wedding gift. My bank didn’t have enough cash and asked me to return later in the day.
No wonder banks are disappearing – they want everything online, which simply doesn’t work for everyone. Yet cashless is being forced upon us.
My builder, plumber and hairdresser are cash-only as it’s more convenient and cost effective for them. Mrs H, Leeds
As manned tills disappear in stores, I will do my utmost to avoid them – for a variety of reasons.
Today, there was one staff member supervising 14 self-checkouts that were constantly jamming or throwing up queries.
The queue was just silly and people left their shopping. Last week, the only method of payment available was cash so, again, people left. Shopping is becoming ever more difficult due to technology. Old School, Garforth
Last weekend in Sainsbury’s, all cashless means of paying – including the ATM – were down. Tesco, too.
I had to leave with no shopping. Systems going down are a regular occurrence, that’s a good enough reason for keeping cash. John, Orpington
Ineffective social service funding, £100k isn’t enough and £165,561 private jets
I think the front-page headline in Monday’s Metro about the UK giving £14billion to charities last year is more to do with the ineffectiveness of the government to properly fund social services.
It’s also to do with the need of the public to shore up these services by giving over their hard-earned, taxed income to at least provide a semblance of a service in this beleaguered country. Barry Stanton, Folkestone.
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Last week, chancellor Jeremy Hunt said £100,000 is ‘not a huge salary’ in
his South West Surrey constituency.
As the declared ‘party of low taxation’, I wonder how Hunt justifies to constituents that earnings exceeding £50,270 – which equates to about half of the supposedly not-huge salary – is taxed marginally at a sizeable 40 per cent rate. Robert Hughes, London
While politicians faff around not sending migrants to Rwanda, it seems they have been more successful with ministers and their entourage.
Apparently, home secretary James Cleverly spent £165,561 of public money flying him and his assistants to the African country and back in a day on a private jet.
But why so expensive? From what I can gather, it costs less to fly a full-size heavy aircraft across the Atlantic and back! Mike, Surrey
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