Sarah Ferguson has called her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie her ‘biggest cheerleaders’ and praised their support since her cancer diagnosis.
The Duchess of York, 63, found out she had breast cancer following a routine screening and underwent a successful single mastectomy in June.
‘My two wonderful daughters are my wholehearted cheerleaders, my devoted champions and my soulmates, and they have been as supportive as can be, as they always are,’ she told PEOPLE.
It comes after the ex-wife of Prince Andrew opened up about her experience for the first time as she made her debut as a Loose Women panellist yesterday.
The mother-of-two was on the programme to launch its inaugural ‘Don’t Skip Your Screening’ campaign, highlighting the importance of attending mammogram appointments.
Sarah Ferguson has called her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie her ‘biggest cheerleaders’ and praised their support during her cancer battle
The V Foundation for Cancer Research unveiled the Sarah Ferguson V Scholar Grant for Breast Cancer Research, in honour of the Duchess, on 30 October.
Sarah, popularly known as Fergie, will join forces with the V Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee to select a research grant recipient by the end of 2024.
The project complements her commitment to supporting cancer patients, survivors, and research as patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust and the work of her foundation Sarah’s Trust.
The Duchess said she is delighted to be partnering with the V Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee – and recently raised over $500,000 for cancer research at their annual event in Napa.
This initiative is close to Sarah’s heart following her personal experience with breast cancer last summer.
She detailed the unwavering support received from her family, including daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, who she shares with ex-husband Prince Andrew, and her grandchildren.
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are parents to Sienna, two, while Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank share August, two, and Ernest, 5 months.
‘My grandchildren have also been spectacular healers. Joy and laughter can be powerful tools when it comes to healing,’ the Duchess said.
The Duchess of York, 64, opened up about her experience for the first time as she made her debut as a Loose Women panellist yesterday
The mother-of-two was on the programme to launch its inaugural ‘Don’t Skip Your Screening’ campaign, highlighting the importance of attending mammogram appointments
She spoke about her health concerns following a breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy last summer
The Tea Talks podcast host also explained how early detection is crucial in saving lives.
She emphasised that if she hadn’t detected her cancer early, it wouldn’t have been as manageable to treat.
Fergie credited her sister, Jane, for urging her to attend the routine screening, which she otherwise would have cancelled.
In June, the Duchess was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer – that appeared as a ‘shadow’ in a prescheduled mammogram – and underwent surgery.
Yesterday, she opened up about her experience for the first time as she made her debut as a Loose Women panellist.
The mother-of-two was on the programme to launch its inaugural ‘Don’t Skip Your Screening’ campaign, highlighting the importance of attending mammogram appointments.
‘And then of course you start four in the morning syndrome,’ she told Christine Lampard, Coleen Nolan, and Brenda Edwards on the pre-recorded one-off special.
‘You know that moment when you suddenly wake up and go “oh I’m sure I’ve got cancer somewhere else… I’m gonna go and ring my doctor”.
Sarah was positively glowing as she sported a bright pink coat and matching trousers on Loose Women
‘I’m getting over that but it’s only been a few months since I’ve had the operation, so I’m just beginning to sit up straight.’
In a more lighthearted moment, Sarah joked about the reconstructive surgery she had following her single mastectomy where ‘they remove all of your fat’, which she thought ‘was going to be great’ – to recreate a breast.
The Duchess added that she’s ‘very grateful’ to the Royal Free Hospital and the NHS, praising their detection systems.
Sarah is also celebrating the engagement of her niece Heidi Luedecke to Ben Collinson, an art consultant.
‘She is my golden niece whom I love so much. I’m devoted to lovely Ben and Heidi,’ Fergie told The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden.
Her niece, 27, who works at the Tate gallery in London, shared a selfie with Ben and showed off her impressive diamond ring on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Heidi’s mother, Fergie’s sister Jane Ferguson, gushed: ‘So super-happy for them both. Welcome to the madhouse, Ben!
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk