UK's Prince William Undertakes Cancer Screening Tests; Here's Why

Prince William is set to undergo a series of medical tests following the recent passing of his former military flight instructor, Flight Sergeant Zach Stubbings. According to news reports, Stubbings, who trained the prince during his service at RAF Valley between 2010 and 2013, died after a decade-long battle with multiple myeloma, the cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Myeloma is a rare blood cancer that can affect the bones in the spine, skull, pelvis, and ribs.

During the prince’s time serving military helicopters, including the Sea King aircraft that he was trained on by Stubbings, the RAF station was rated as having high concentrations of toxic exhaust fumes that could lead to ill health in pilots, including exposure to 7.5 micromoles of carbon monoxide per litre of air.

Studies have suggested that long-term exposure to these emissions might be associated with several cancers, which has led to new debates over the well-being of military veterans and current personnel.

Many helicopter-operating officials diagnosed with cancers

Notably, many former personnel who operated similar helicopters have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer, including lung, throat, and testicular cancer.

Reports say at least six cases related to exhaust exposure have already been settled out of court, while dozens of other affected aircrew members and their families continue to seek compensation.

There have been claims that the Ministry of Defence had knowledge of these health risks as early as 1999 but failed to implement necessary safety measures. However, they have initiated new tests on exhaust emissions from certain military helicopters to assess their impact on crew members’ health.

King Charles III and Kate Middleton have been undergoing treatment for cancer in recent months. Recently, Kate announced that she was in remission after six months of chemotherapy.

Since there have been many cases of cancer in the UK’s royal family, news reports say the aides are taking no chances when it comes to Prince William’s health. “William will undergo a range of tests to make sure he’s not suffering from any illnesses connected to his military service. Heaven forbid he’s developed any form of cancer in the service of his country,” the Radar Online quoted a source as saying.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Health and around the world.