Kate Middleton garners praise as rare cancer study begins after her key step

Princess Catherine is once again remembered by the mother of talented teen photographer Liz Hatton, who passed away in November fighting a rare form of cancer. 

Liz's mom Vicky Robayna shared that the Princess of Wales' meaningful gesture for her daughter helped raise funds, resulting in the beginning of a research project which will help other families about the desmoplastic small round cell tumour. 

For the unversed, the future Queen and Prince William invited Liz to Windsor Castle in October 2024, where the girl not only met the couple but also clicked photos at a royal event. 

At the time, the Prince and Princess of Wales released a personal statement which reads, "A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength have inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us. W&C."

The meaningful meeting helped Liz's story gain attention and through the sale of her work and other fundraisers, the mourning family has raised £100,000 which will help to launch a research paper revolving around her condition. 

In conversation with The Mirror, Vicky shared, "We are thrilled – the research will help people in those terrifying early stages after diagnosis get the support and information they need so they can make the most of the time they have, which is all Liz wanted."

"Meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales meant so many more people were aware of Liz's story, her type of cancer and her photography. So in a lot of ways they have made this possible and we are very grateful to them for doing that," Liz's mother added. 

It is pertinent to mention that Princess Kate herself was diagnosed with cancer in March 2024 after her planned abdominal surgery. The mother-of-three is currently in the remission phase after undergoing preventative chemotherapy.