A columnist living with incurable bowel cancer has said that Princess Catherine's recent interview comments about nature and her cancer journey will stay with him on difficult days, prompting new resolutions to embrace small wonders of the natural world.
Writing in a personal piece, Robert Fisk described how, since his diagnosis in the summer of 2023, he has replaced his old new year's resolution of "drink more cocktails" with "go outside at least once a day." He noted that hospital days are the easiest to achieve this, while darker, colder days make it harder to venture out.
Finding Hope in Small Wonders
Fisk said Princess Catherine is "spot on" when she says there are good days and bad days, and "precisely right" about the importance of getting outside. He acknowledged that his town is known more for knife crime and tower blocks than natural beauty, but suggested this means embracing small natural details instead.
He pointed to a tree in his street full of birds in spring, purple flowers near his cancer hospital, and an allotment near a bus stop where he often waits after scan results. He also mentioned the changing colours of falling leaves as a reminder of his connection to the natural world, noting that "they are dying but after them will come new life."
A New Resolution for Happiness
Fisk described his "cocktail for happiness" as one part going outside mixed with three parts paying attention to what he sees there. He said this may lead to taking more photos to look back on during tough days, and that he will need to find gloves in the Black Friday sales.
He concluded that the first step, as Princess Catherine says, is to find hope in the darkest of times. For him, this will begin with planting two bulbs in pots on his windowsill, as flowers give him hope after chemotherapy. He hopes his cancer does not spread too quickly so he will still be alive when the bulbs bloom in spring.
