Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, revealed she was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer.
In their most recent episode of Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah, a podcast Ferguson has with her friend, entrepreneur Sarah Thomson, the Duchess opened up about her diagnosis and the treatment she is currently undergoing.
Ferguson, 63, began the episode by sharing that she volunteered to work at Teenage Cancer Trust, an organization that centers around helping and supporting teenagers with cancer. Ferguson has worked with them for about 35 years, she shared. She also said that she volunteered because her stepfather died of cancer at 50 years old.
“My father died of prostate cancer and it was very interesting because he went on the radio and he said on the radio, ‘Please, please, please go and get checked. It doesn’t matter, go and get checked,'” Ferguson said.
Ferguson also said that after her father urged everyone to get checked for cancer, his friends called and told him no one wanted to hear him. Following her father’s example, she encouraged everyone to get checked for cancer.
“I don’t mind if no one wants to hear from me. Because I’m telling you that I am doing this,” the Duchess said. “I am telling people out there because want every single person that is listening to this podcast to go get checked, go get screened and go do it.”
The 63-year-old credits her sister, Jane, for pushing her to get a routine screening, for without it, her cancer, which was reportedly “symptom-free” would have gone on undetected.
The latest episode of their podcast was recorded a day before the Duchess went into surgery for a mastectomy.
Today, reports say that the Duchess was admitted to the hospital last Tuesday and has been released after a six-day stay following a successful major operation.
Ferguson is said to be surrounded by her family which includes her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, with whom she shares their two daughters, Princess Beatrice, 34, and Princess Eugenie, 33.
