The Duchess of Gloucester took part in a video call with supporters and staff at Prostate Cancer on , to discuss how they have been finding the ‘March the Month‘ step challenge to raise awareness for the disease.
Introduced by Angela Culhane, Chief Executive at Prostate Cancer, Birgitte spoke to Peter Silk and Kerry McDowell, whom both have personal connections to the charity.
The Duchess of Gloucester heard from supporters of “March the Month’ how they had been completing their 11,000 steps per day. (Prostate Cancer)
Kerry McDowell told the Duchess, who is Patron of Prostate Cancer, about the experience of her father’s diagnosis of Prostate Cancer, and because of this, she decided to take on the challenge.
“I noticed there was nothing around, nothing, no awareness of it [prostate cancer]. And it was obviously I’d only just come across it because my father had been diagnosed with it. And so I researched and had a look and then I found that there was a ‘March the Month’ which I did. This is my third one now.”
“I lost my dad in January. He was a proud man and he was proud of what I was doing. I don’t want other families to go through what we’re going through now. And there’s no need. If we carry on fundraising, donating, making awareness.”
The Duchess of Gloucester told Kerry how incredibly ‘moving to hear how you supported your [her] father this way’.
The Duchess of Gloucester shared how she has been taking part in the challenge as Patron of Prostate Cancer. (Prostate Cancer).
Peter Silk told the group how he became involved in the step challenge through a diagnosis of his own.
“I went to the GP for an annual medication review and they said that we’ll send you for a blood test. Having read about one of my boyhood heroes, Rod Stewart, I read his autobiography and a few other people I said can you throw in a PSA test? And then I got the results, which were not too good.
“So my main thing is that if I wasn’t aware and I’m a fairly healthy 63 year old, then how many other men are not aware?”
Birgitte applauded the 63-year-old saying: “Well done, having coped so remarkably well during a very difficult time. What about the walk, Peter?”
Peter replied: “I’ve lost about four pounds in two weeks. By doing it in two goes, it’s been better. I’ve done 7,000 steps this morning.”
“Lucky you,” came the royal reply with a laugh.
The Duchess of Gloucester has been completing 11,000 steps a day for Prostate Cancer, during March, supported by her husband, The Duke of Gloucester. (IMAGE: Royal Family/Twitter).
Angela asked the Duchess how she had been managing to get her steps in.
“My husband has very kindly become my walking partner,” she explained of the Duke, 76 “And we did try and do it all in one go. And it was exhausting, but it’s always jolly nice when we come home in late afternoon.
“Luckily, we live by a paddock where we could get a morning walk, in the paddock and then do the rest in the park in the afternoon.”
? The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron, compares notes with @ProstateUK supporters and staff on their experiences so far of the charity’s #MarchTheMonth step challenge.
Watch here ➡️: https://t.co/nqESsCFHCB
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 22, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
It is thought that The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester may have moved out of their Kensington Palace apartment in 2019, possibly into the Old Stables cottage in the grounds.
Birgitte, born in Denmark, married The Duke of Gloucester – then Prince Richard of Gloucester, a trained architect – in 1972, and has carried out royal duties alongside him ever since he inherited the Dukedom the same year.
