Nice photograph of the Princess of Wales

It is a lovely photo. I also wish Catherine well. The Royal Family is quite fragile just now and it must be taking its toll on all of them.

I had the cold cap during chemotherapy for breast cancer. The hair on my head thinned very slightly, brows and lashes were unchanged, but all my leg hair disappeared (and most of the hair hidden by underwear). The leg hairs have hardly grown back after 16 years, just a couple to pluck out.

The King’s hair still looks thick too, but it is surely more distressing for a woman with long hair to lose hers. The prospect worried my teenage children more than it bothered me.

Catherine looks wonderful in the recent photo and I wish her well.

Primrose53

One of my nieces had breast cancer in her 20s and a double mastectomy and reconstruction later. She had chemo and started on the cold cap treatment but still lost all her hair.
That would be nearly 20 years ago so it’s good to hear that treatments have improved.

How awful for your niece at such a young age Primrose53 to suffer such a devastating disease - and the treatment. Gosh, life is so cruel sometimes.

Hair loss does not always happen as a result of chemotherapy, I had six months of chemo and kept mine as did DH.
I can relate to every word the Princess of Wales said, on a good day I would get out of the house and make the most of it.

I started Chemo a year ago now and immediately lost all my hair. Because of adverse reactions to steroids I became virtually bed bound and this affected me far more than the loss of my hair. Luckily, I did not have any side effects from the chemo or the immunotherapy that I am still receiving.
My hair did start growing back last Autumn, it was very curly but as it grows longer it is becoming straighter.
The Immunotherapy allows me to live a near normal life and I hope it will continue as long as possible.
An ex work colleague was receiving chemo for breast cancer on the same day as me. She did have the cold cap treatment and kept her hair, although she said it was thinner. But I kept my eyebrows and eye lashes whereas she lost hers.

One of my nieces had breast cancer in her 20s and a double mastectomy and reconstruction later. She had chemo and started on the cold cap treatment but still lost all her hair.
That would be nearly 20 years ago so it’s good to hear that treatments have improved.

I wish her well, together with everyone here.

She may well have lost her hair. Wigs are amazing these days and none of us would know.

I am pleased that she says she is doing well. She has obviously had a very bad and serious time, and my heart goes out to her ... and to William who is carrying the monarchy burden with his father also ill.

Well said Dickens

Just to add to the above comments, cold cap is not allowed for some cancer treatments. Not all chemotherapy or immunotherapy drugs result in total hair loss. Some result in hair thinning or temporary damage to the condition. There are so many different types of chemo drugs for the many different cancers and they differ in their affects on the body.

I am so pleased to see that she is doing well. As a young woman with young children she must have been very frightened for the future.

I too hope the press is kind. It won't affect her as I hardly think she reads the rubbish. But there are many other young women also undergoing chemotherapy who need support and understanding.

Just because someone going through chemo has beautiful locks does not mean they haven't lost their hair. Just because a woman's hair is down to her waist doesn't mean her real hair is not in a bob. Stylists can do anything regarding hair nowadays. But that doesn't really matter. I am just glad she is able to have treatment. The photo is lovely.

Well said Dickens. 👏👏👏

Mollygo

Lovely to see the picture and read the message. At least on GN we’re all appear to be kind about this. X (Twitter) has some incredibly unkind posts.

I think social media has awakened some inherent nastiness in some, it's given them the power to easily and casually disparage and demean.

Perhaps we are not ready, in the sense that we are not civilised sufficiently, to use this means of communication that allows us to say things that we would not normally say or would hesitate to say in real life?

Even if one is not a monarchist (and I'm not) I don't understand the ill-will to a woman undergoing physically devastating treatment for a life-threatening disease.

There's politicians and high-profile figures in public life that I intensely dislike but I wouldn't wish cancer (or any ill-health) on any of them, nor take any pleasure in their suffering.

Ill-health is a great leveller and a reminder that we are all human, regardless.

The unkind comments probably say more about the poster than they do about Catherine.

True Pantglas2 - but it's exactly what people I know might say if they were about to share a photo like that with the rest of the world!

I do quite hope it's a jokey thing - as it would be a sort-of strength to have a little quiet laugh with your loved ones - and in your heart.

Lovely to see the picture and read the message. At least on GN we’re all appear to be kind about this. X (Twitter) has some incredibly unkind posts.

My husband didn't lose his hair during chemo treatment. Not everyone does.
I am so pleased to read this latest statement from HRH Catherine as I've been worried about her.

Syracute

There is a special therapy called cold cap therapy and by doing this you can keep your hairs My sister did this .

Yes, I was offered it. The cold-cap shrinks the blood vessels under the scalp and allegedly limits the chemo's effect on hair follicles. That's how it was explained to me.

I didn't do it. The chemo infusion I was on was not one that normally caused hair loss anyway in the majority of patients. And I didn't lose my hair. Not all chemo drugs cause hair loss.

I'm glad for her sake. But the other side effects, as anyone here who's been through it will confirm, can be devastating. The fatigue was so bad that even thinking about it now over a decade later makes me feel exhausted. It is indescribable, bone-crushing fatigue, it's absolutely awful. Poor Catherine.

There is a special therapy called cold cap therapy and by doing this you can keep your hairs My sister did this .

It's good to see a photograph of her and to read her message.

I do hope she doesn't do too much and puts herself and her family first before any sense of duty.

As a friend just said, Katherine is brave appearing tomorrow when she’s vulnerable and the eyes of the world will be on her, I hope the media are kind.

I have just crocheted a hat for a friend who has lost her hair due to chemo.

Another friend (50) has just got the all clear. She was diagnosed just a week or so before Kate. She has had major surgery - just about everything removed inside plus many sessions of chemo but lost all her hair too.

Kate was very fortunate to keep her lovely hair because most people don’t.

I wondered too NotSpaghetti… and then I remembered that walking in woodlands is one of the best things anyone can do, unwell or not, and hope that she finds some peace of mind there.

@Urmstongran let's hope that it raises awareness as I'm sure Catherine leads a very healthy life and is young.

Urmstongran

Sadly our very respected GP said that in her opinion there will never be a cure for cancer until Big Pharma discovers how to make as much money from prevention as it makes from treatments.

You’ve hit the nail on the head there Urms.

Obviously I wish her well.