Sarah Ferguson's breast cancer diagnosis was a huge "wake-up" call, said Susanna Reid.
On Sunday, a spokesperson for the royal confirmed that the mother-of-two had been diagnosed with breast cancer and has since been treated in hospital and had undergone an operation but was now resting at home.
Sarah, 63, was told her prognosis was "good" after early symptoms were spotted during a routine mammogram screening before being treated at the King Edward VII hospital.
A spokesperson for the philanthropist added that she was under the care of the "best" medical team and wanted to show her "immense gratitude" to those who helped identify her cancer.
"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," they added.
Now, Good Morning Britain anchor Susanna said that she had previously ignored an invitation to attend a mammogram screening due to a new change in the way appointments are sent out.
As she sent her best wishes to Prince Andrew's former wife, the 52-year-old said: "This morning we want to send our best wishes to the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, because she has revealed – this has come as quite a shock – that she's undergone surgery because of breast cancer.
"It was a routine mammogram on a Tuesday two weeks ago, she said on her podcast.
"She's now out of surgery, but that's remarkably fast, isn’t it? Two weeks ago she had the mammogram, she said she was reluctant to go, it's been very hot weather, and it was a bit of an inconvenience, her sister said, 'You have to go!'
"I think the reason that she’s open about this is she wants this to be a wake-up call to people."
"I hadn't realised, that there was a change in policy and screening, around seven months ago, back in September, where appointments used to be sent out for mammograms, now it's an invitation, apparently, to make an appointment," she told co-anchor Ed Balls.
It's estimated that in London alone, 12,000 women are believed to have missed out on crucial mammograms due to the new invite system.
Susanna added: "Now, I received one of those letters, an invitation to go and, of course, what have I done? Absolutely nothing, I haven't booked a mammogram and I'm 52."
"I absolutely should take that up," she exclaimed, before adding: "I think there will be a lot of women this morning, finding out what has happened to Sarah Ferguson, feeling the same way I did – there isn't really a firm appointment, I haven't got time to make one, who will be thinking differently."
