King Charles has emphasised the importance of being able to talk as a cancer patient during a visit to a newly redeveloped specialist medical centre. The 77-year-old monarch, who continues to receive treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer diagnosed in 2024, was greeted with cheers and applause as he met patients and staff at the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre in York, which has undergone a £2.4 million redevelopment.
Charles, who has been patron of Macmillan Cancer Support since 1997, spoke with Louise Rhodes from Hopgrove in York, who is living with stage 4 secondary breast cancer and contributed to the centre's design. Accompanied by her mother Diana Ellison, Rhodes told the King about losing her father in 2024. When Charles asked, "To cancer?" and she replied yes, he remarked, "It's everywhere." Rhodes described the centre as a major support for her family, to which the King responded, "It's so important to be able to talk."
Warm Welcome at the Hospital
Arriving at the hospital, Charles was cheered by nurses, doctors, and patients gathered at a side entrance. He was welcomed by Clare Smith, chief executive of York Hospital, and Gemma Peters, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support. The King then toured the centre's new garden, where he was greeted with a kiss by his friend Lady Halifax, a major donor along with her husband Lord Halifax. The centre is set to officially open in July.
In the garden, Charles planted a yellow Macmillan rose with Colm Gough, Macmillan personalised cancer care lead, using a spade to cover its roots. Gough remarked, "We've been making silly NHS decisions and Angie's been reminding us of what's really needed." More than 70 local people with cancer experience contributed to the centre's design, which aims to be a calming, welcoming space.
During his walk through the hospital corridors, Charles shook hands with staff and patients, asking how they were coping with the heat. He was mobbed by well-wishers taking photos and videos. Hundreds gathered in the main reception to see him, where he met Macmillan nurses and fundraising staff.
Patient Testimonials
Angie Lunt from Riccall, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 and part of the community engagement group, was introduced by Lady Halifax as "one of the most amazing women you'll meet." Charles told her, "So they consulted you on all the details to make it all most effective? Well done you." Lunt later said the centre was an "absolute lifeline" during her treatment, calling it "pivotal in my recovery" and essential for mental wellbeing. She added, "We need places like this now and in the future for anyone affected by cancer."
Rhodes, who first had breast cancer in 2012, said the centre was critical for her and her mother. She described it as a "safe haven" and expressed hope that the new centre would maintain the same heart despite being larger. "My cancer is incurable, I will be a cancer patient for the rest of my life, so I very much look forward to seeing this new Macmillan centre," she said.
Conservation Work at York
Earlier in the day, the King visited York's Animal and Plant Health Agency's Biotech Campus to learn about a red squirrel conservation project. He toured pens where dozens of squirrels are bred and was presented with a framed photograph of a red squirrel by field ecologist Erin Thomas, taken at the Yorkshire Arboretum.
Gemma Peters, Macmillan's chief executive, said the King's planting of a rose was "a lasting symbol of hope" and highlighted the centre's role in making cancer support more accessible and fairer across the region. York Hospital, part of the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, hosts over 60 Macmillan professionals, including more than 40 cancer nurse specialists, supporting thousands of people living with cancer each year.
