The Duchess of Cambridge has topped a list of “health heroes” for her championing of children’s mental health.
Kate was praised for speaking out on a subject that for decades has suffered taboo status and continues to be under-resourced by the NHS.
Others commended by the MyHealthLondon website included the rapper Professor Green, who revealed the truth about his father’s suicide to highlight the number of young men taking their own lives, and doctor Michael Jacobs, who led the Royal Free Hospital team that saved three UK nurses from Ebola.
The Duchess is patron of the Place2Be charity, which does early-intervention work in schools, and this year visited the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School in Beckenham and the Anna Freud Centre in Hampstead to show her support for children receiving treatment — as well as raising funds.
Speaking at a Place2Be conference last month, Kate criticised a focus on “material and social concerns” when children needed “time, attention and love”. She said: “Even those from stable, happy homes are finding that their heads are just too full. It’s our duty as parents and teachers to give all children the space to build their emotional strength.”
A panel of health professionals drew up the list based on online searches, social media trends and top health stories of the year.
