Angela Terry tells PEOPLE that the Princess of Wales' stop at the hospital served as "a great message of hope"

We don’t need to know what cancer she had,” said one woman who spoke to Kate on Tuesday. “We just know she’s been through surgery, she’s been through chemo—and one year later, my goodness, look, she is here.

Kate Middleton has been praised for her sensitive timing amid her latest move to visit the Royal Marsden Hospital, where she received treatment for cancer.

Kate Middleton recounted the "shock" of being diagnosed with cancer and how it affects "the whole family" at her hospital stop, Angela Terry tells PEOPLE

Terry continued, describing Kate as "so open." "She had this 'We’re in this together' approach, so I think people felt they were able to say all sorts of things. It was really h