Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Undergoes Surgery for Breast Cancer
Michelle Milliken
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has had surgery for early stage breast cancer after a routine mammogram caught the tumor.
A spokesperson for the 63-year-old shared the news Sunday. In a statement, the spokesperson said, “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,"
Sarah, former wife of Prince Andrew, mother to Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, and children’s author, spoke about her diagnosis on a podcast recorded just before her surgery. In an episode of her “Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah”, which was released the day after the news was shared, she told her co-host Sarah Thomas that a routine screening discovered the tumor. Her sister Jane had urged her to get the mammogram when she hadn’t felt like going in. She hoped by sharing her story, listeners would understand the importance of attending those screenings.
She said, “I don't mind if no one wants to hear from me. Because I'm telling you that I am doing this. I am telling people out there because I want every single person that is listening to this podcast to go get checked, go get screened and go do it.”
She later said it wasn’t just breast cancer screening that people should be concerned about. She urged listeners to get every screening they need, including for prostate cancer, which her father died from.
She also said she was going to take the diagnosis as a gift, as a chance to change her life and nurture herself.
After the news came out, she took to her Instagram to thank everyone for their kindness and support.
