Queen Camilla is warning older people to check their risk of developing osteoporosis – a disease in which bones become so weak and brittle, one could fracture a bone with an act as simple as coughing.
Her Majesty said the disease contributed to the deaths of her mother and grandmother as they had it during a time in which it was “seldom discussed” and “rarely diagnosed.” The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS), formally known as the National Osteoporosis Society formed in October 2001. Her Majesty first became involved with the charity in 1994 following the death of her mother who had the illness. In 1997, she would become a patron of the charity.
In 2019, The Queen Consort officially launched the Royal Osteoporosis Society and became president of the organisation. Now, Her Majesty is encouraging others to use an online questionnaire to help people understand how likely they are to develop the disease.
In a statement, Her Majesty said: “Both my grandmother and my mother died as a result of osteoporosis. At the time, the disease was seldom discussed, rarely diagnosed and was usually acknowledged as an unavoidable part of growing older.
“Now, thankfully, we know far more about the causes, symptoms and available treatments.”
The chief executive of ROS, Craig Jones said: “Osteoporosis will affect every other mother; every other grandmother. And too many of us still think men are unaffected. The truth is we all have bones and, if we arm ourselves with knowledge, we can keep them stronger for longer.
“It all starts with people understanding their bone health risk and taking action.”
The disease is said to impact as many as 3.5 million people across the United Kingdom. Many people die each year because of fracture-related causes such as diabetes, and lung cancer. In contrast, two-thirds of adults surveyed by ROS admit they never considered their bone health.
Poor bone health means that half of all women over the age of 50 are expected to suffer a fracture, along with one in five men in this age range.
Camilla first became involved with the Royal Osteoporosis Society in 2001 after her mother lived with the disease’s devastating effects and ultimately succumbed to the illness in 1994. She was Patron of the National Osteoporosis Society from 1997 to 2001 before taking on the role of President. In 2018, Queen Elizabeth II granted the Society its new royal name.
