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Royal Marsden nurses put Prince William to work

Duke of Cambridge spends morning with young patients at Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
Prince William with patient

The Duke of Cambridge escorts patient Simon to a treatment room Photo: PA

The Duke of Cambridge spent the morning with children and young adults with cancer at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Prince William helped nurses take blood pressure readings, prepare patients for chemotherapy and put wristbands on those heading to theatre on Tuesday.

Return visit

The duke opened the Oak Centre for Children and Young People in 2012 and he returned to the trust's site in Sutton, Surrey, to witness the new MR Linac machine, used to make radiotheraphy more effective and reduce side effects.

Matron and lead nurse for children and young people Joanna Stone said Prince William was able to meet some of the children he was intoduced to five years ago.

'It was exciting, he was very charming and lovely with the children,' she told Nursing Standard.

Blood pressure checks

Staff nurse Jolene Bull said: 'He was awesome, so lovely. You could definitely tell he has children himself, because he managed to make all the children smile, even those who didn't want to. I administered chemotherapy while he was there and he helped take blood pressure.'

Her colleague Rosie Formella said: 'I'm still shaking. I only started here six months ago, so I wasn't here when he came before.

Morale boost

'I got him to take blood pressure and do name bands for those going to theatre. He was really interested in what everybody had to say and how families try to go about their normal lives.'

Trust chief nurse Eamonn Sullivan said the visit was a boost to morale.

'He is the president of the Marsden, as was his mother. We are really proud and his visit is a huge boost to the organisation.'

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