Next Wednesday, The King and Queen will host a special reception at Buckingham Palace to highlight initiatives supporting those living with cancer. The event will be attended by cancer charity advocates such as radio presenter Adele Roberts, former footballer Ashley Cain, actor Richard E Grant, and the parents of the late Dame Deborah James, Heather and Alistair James. The reception will also focus on community projects dedicated to raising awareness about cancer and its impact.
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The King, still undergoing treatment after his cancer diagnosis last year, will take part in the event to celebrate various organisations that provide crucial support. Representatives from Macmillan Cancer Support, Breast Cancer Now, Maggie’s, and Children’s Hospice South West will be present, as well as other cancer charities with projects such as Move Dance Feel and Rainbow Boxes. These organisations help cancer patients cope with the disease through dance and provide essential items to support individuals starting cancer treatment.
The reception will include a performance by the ITV Change + Check Choir, formed by 26 women who were able to spot their breast cancer symptoms thanks to Lorraine Kelly’s ITV1 awareness campaign. The King and Queen will be joined by the Duchess of Gloucester, patron of Prostate Cancer UK, and will also meet with the guests whose personal experiences with cancer have driven them to advocate for change and raise funds for research and support.
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Adele Roberts, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021, will attend after being given the all-clear in 2022. She set a Guinness World Record for the fastest woman to complete the London Marathon with a stoma, raising both awareness and funds. Ashley Cain, whose daughter Azaylia tragically passed away from leukaemia in 2021, has raised substantial amounts for cancer research. Meanwhile, Richard E Grant continues to honour the memory of his wife, Joan Washington, who died from lung cancer. Finally, the legacy of Dame Deborah James, who passed away in 2022 after a courageous battle with bowel cancer, will be acknowledged, as her Bowelbabe fund has raised more than £16 million for cancer research.
