Sarah Ferguson has confirmed she has undergone a single mastectomy after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Duchess of York revealed on her Tea Talks podcast that she had been diagnosed with the disease and undergone intensive surgery.
On the podcast, the 63-year-old said that by the time the podcast had aired on Monday, the surgery would be complete.
She said: “We’re taping the podcast today, and tomorrow I’m going for a single mastectomy. It’s very important that we speak about it, when it airs, I’ll have been through this."
“I don’t care if no one wants to hear from me, I’m telling you I’m doing this, and I’m telling people to go get screened.”
Sarah explained she had an extensive family history of cancer, after her stepfather Héctor Barrantes died of prostate cancer aged 50 in 1990, and her father Ronald Ferguson died of prostate cancer in 2003.
“It’s vital that we wake everyone up to go get screened. Not just breast cancer, all the checks,” she said.
Fergie revealed that the cancer was found during a routine check-up.
“It was easy to put off,” she explained.
“My sister said: ‘No go, I need you to go.’ She was ringing me up about something else and getting forceful with me saying I had to go.”
The mother-of-two added: “I have to go through this operation, and I have to be well and strong. And therefore, no choice is the best choice.
“I’m going to go out there and get super, super well — super strong.”
Sarah said she was using the diagnosis as the instigator of a health kick and might “do an Iron Man” or travel to Scotland, Austria and Wales and to “climb mountains”.
“I’m taking this a real gift to change my life. To nurture myself, to stop trying to fix everything else. I think: ‘Are you going to take yourself seriously now Sarah?’” she said.
“I’m going to be super fit, super strong, really understand what caused this and look at it straight on.
“I love joy, and this is my chance. I can’t make another excuse, I have to go through this operation and be strong and fit.”
After receiving the surgery at the private King Edward VII hospital in central London, Sarah was told her prognosis was positive.
She is now recovering in Windsor with her family.
In a statement, a spokesperson said Sarah wanted to “express her immense gratitude to all the medical staff who have supported her in recent days”.
It’s understood she spent five days at the King Edward VII Hospital, which is regularly used by the royal family, before being released this weekend.
Her spokesperson said: “Sarah, Duchess of York was recently diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer detected at a routine mammogram screening.
“She was advised she needed to undergo surgery which has taken place successfully.
“The duchess is receiving the best medical care and her doctors have told her that the prognosis is good. She is now recuperating with her family.
“The duchess wants to express her immense gratitude to all the medical staff who have supported her in recent days.
“She is also hugely thankful to the staff involved in the mammogram which identified her illness, which was otherwise symptom free, and believes her experience underlines the importance of regular screening.”
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