Sarah Ferguson underwent a gruelling eight-hour breast cancer operation, it has been reported. It’s believed the Duchess of York underwent a successful single mastectomy at King Edward VII's Hospital in London, followed by several days spent in the hospital.
- Sarah Ferguson underwent a mastectomy which lasted eight-hours, according to reports
- Despite the tough operation, the Duchess of York is reportedly feeling “lucky to be alive” and is being well-tended to by various members of the Royal Family
- In other royal news, surprising royal who pushed for ‘toughening up’ response after Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview - and the memorable phrase it inspired
Last week it was revealed that Sarah Ferguson had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Announcing the news, a spokesperson for the Duchess of York said that Sarah “want[ed] to express her immense gratitude to all the medical staff who have supported her in recent days.”
They added, “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.”
Now, more details have been shared on the Duchess’ operation, and how she’s feeling during recovery.
A friend of the Duchess of York has told outlets in the United Kingdom, “The surgery took getting on for eight hours and was more involved than people think. Today, the message she wants to get out is that she’s very grateful and she feels very lucky to be alive.”
The insider close to the Duchess and best-selling author added, “In Sarah’s case, a biopsy was taken from the shadowy area of tissue and a few days later the results came back to confirm the diagnosis — breast cancer.”
And in a stark reminder of the importance of looking after one’s health, Sarah actually shared that she almost canceled the routine mammogram appointment that led to her breast cancer diagnosis.
The Duchess of York admitted she was going to put off her appointment because she didn’t feel like the journey on a “hot day.”
Speaking on an episode of her Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah podcast, which was uploaded just after the diagnosis was shared with the public, Sarah recalled, “It was after a bank holiday, and I live in this area — in the Windsor area — and it was a hot day, and I didn’t feel like going to London. It’s easy to put it off — ‘I’ll do it next week.’”
Fortunately, her sister, Jane Ferguson Luedecke, persuaded her to go and Sarah was having the operation shortly after.
In classic fiery Fergie fashion, it’s been suggested that the Duchess will now use this tough chapter in her life to try and help other women.
A source close to the Duchess shared, “Undoubtedly this will be an issue the duchess takes up as she feels it is incredibly important to spread this message and awareness.”
Women aged between 50 and 71 are automatically invited for breast screening every three years in the UK.
It’s been reported that the Duchess of York has had great support from the Royal Family during this difficult time.
It’s understood Sarah’s ex-husband, Prince Andrew is supporting her as she recovers and she’s received well-wishes from her former brother-in-law, King Charles.
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