Like the Princess of Wales, my cancer journey taught me to see God’s light in the darkness

Princess Catherine has released a moving family video to mark the end of her cancer treatment, and its message of hope is straight from the Bible. Dr Claire Gilbert says she’ll be praying the joy the princess has found continues to grow 

I was deeply moved as I watched the Princess of Wales in the video just released as she emerges from cancer treatment. Soaking up the joy of family, of the warmth and light of sun on her face, of the strength of the steadfast tree trunk, of the feathery brush of ripened grass on fingertips, of the life and strength of limbs.

One of the things that cancer taught me was to be in my body more. My prayer preference is contemplative, and I feel closest to God in silence, away from the world and, as I thought, away from my body. It led to a feeling of separation from my body, a feeling that Spirit is not physical, needs me to deny the physical; is more important than the physical.