The Princess of Wales blew a kiss to a little boy with a rare vein condition during a hospital visit after the youngster made the affectionate gesture.
Kate and three-year-old Arjun traded tokens of affection when she visited Evelina London Children’s Hospital to meet children being treated at a new cardiac unit – part of a project to turn Evelina into the capital’s most comprehensive medical centre for youngsters.
She was wearing a bracelet which appeared to be made from string, made for her by her daughter Princess Charlotte when she undertook her recent Three Peaks Challenge.
The future Queen sat on the bed of the little boy, who was being discharged from hospital on Tuesday following treatment since the start of the year for a rare pulmonary vein condition after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Kate picked up his toy dinosaurs and asked their names as the three-year-old’s parents encouraged their suddenly bashful son to chat.
The princess told the couple: “It’s amazing how children cope,” and added later, “I bet you’re desperate to get home?”
Evelina London is expanding its services to meet increasing demand and plans are underway for a new hospital building next to the existing site, expected to open in the early 2030s.
A key part of Evelina’s expansion is their ongoing work with cancer specialist hospital The Royal Marsden, along with the major teaching institution St George’s Hospital, to move specialist cancer and blood and marrow transplant services for children in south London and southeast England into the future Children’s Cancer Principal Treatment Centre, housed in Evelina’s new building.
Mr Sharma said after Kate’s visit: “It’s absolutely amazing, she was so wonderful, just to take the time to listen to us.
“She actually took an interest…how we coped as a family, even wishing us well when we get home as a family.”
The proud father said his son “blew her a kiss” and Kate was seen blowing one back, and he praised the treatment his child had received at Evelina, saying: “It’s like leaving a family to go back to our own family”.
Kate also met a mother and her baby daughter, and chatted to a teenager who had problems with her pacemaker that left her passing out.
Before leaving, Kate held informal chats with the medical team working on creating the cancer specialist centre and met parents also providing input.
Evelina London’s chief executive, Gubby Ayida, said after the visit: “She’s brilliant with the children, she always lights up the place for the children when they come in.
“And some of them are quite sick, because we are a specialist hospital, so a day like this is really very special to them.”
