A COMPLIMENTARY care charity which has transformed the way cancer patients are treated has been given the Royal seal of approval.

HRH The Prince of Wales hosted a luncheon at his Highgrove home today to celebrate the 30th year of Penny Brohn Cancer Care.

The 150 invited guests, including actors Anthony Head and Maureen Lipman, were given tours of the Highgrove gardens before chatting with Prince Charles.

In a speech afterwards, he said: "I am so glad that those of you who managed to go round the garden enjoyed doing so. I tried to create something that warmed the heart and fed the soul.

"In many ways that is what they do at Penny Brohn."

Prince Charles, a longstanding patron of the Pill-based charity, thanked representatives from North Bristol NHS Trust, Macmillan Cancer Care and Walk the Walk for supporting Penny Brohn Cancer Care.

He said: "You make it possible for Penny Brohn to exist. Without that support and extraordinary help they would not be able to do all the fantastic work they do."

The charity was formed by Penny Brohn, who lived with cancer for 20 years before losing her battle in 1999, and Pat Pilkington in Bristol in 1980.

Mrs Pilkington, now 84, said: "We realised it was not enough to have cancer treatment just for the body and that we need care for the mind and heart as well."

Nowadays, the charity works alongside mainstream healthcare providers offering emotional and spiritual support. It plans to open regional hubs in addition to its Bristol centre.

Janice Perkins, 64, from Devizes, was supported by the charity after a masectomy in 2003.

On meeting Prince Charles, she said: "He was very sympathetic and understanding. He seemed to show genuine empathy."