I thought my breast cancer was a death sentence but I’m proof you should NEVER skip a screening, says Sarah Ferguson

WHEN you’re told you have cancer, you can’t help thinking it’s a death sentence.

Your mind goes to the darkest places and you wonder what lies ahead and how you are going to share the news with your family.

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The Duchess says the love and support of her family has helped her stay positive[/caption]

That was certainly the case for me last year when a routine mammogram detected breast cancer, something I had always dreaded.

 I had almost missed the appointment as I couldn’t face a journey into central London on a hot ­summer’s day and thought I would put it off.

It was only when I ­mentioned this by chance to my sister Jane, who had called me from her home in Australia, that she went into bossy older sibling mode and insisted I went.

That check-up, and the treatment I underwent, saved my life.

I’m living proof of the importance of never skipping screening appointments and always getting symptoms checked out promptly.

To make matters worse for me, I was then diagnosed last year with malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer.

I’m sure it was caused by my exposure to the sun as a fair-skinned child in the 1970s, when no one knew about the importance of sun cream.

One cancer diagnosis is bad enough but two in quick succession is a lot for anyone to handle.

It has been a difficult period, and I’m not out of the woods.

I underwent a single mastectomy and a breast reconstruction operation, while my malignant melanoma and surrounding area was removed and other moles checked for cancer.

Importance of early detection

With the love and support of my family, especially my girls Beatrice and Eugenie, I have stayed positive and been informed that my outlook is good.

I’ve been told by my physicians that I shouldn’t use the phrase “cancer free”, but treatment has been successful and tests show there has been no spread or recurrence.

I’m reconciled to the fact that I will have to have checks for the rest of my life.

I’m now determined to do whatever I can to raise awareness by sharing my experience.

To make matters worse for me, I was then diagnosed last year with malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer

Breast cancer affects almost 57,000 women a year in the UK.

It’s the most common cancer in the UK and the biggest cause of death among British women aged 35 to 49.

For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, rates of breast cancer are increasing — since the early 1990s they have risen by around 18 per cent.

But there is very little focus on the prevention of breast cancer.

This is a shame, because the majority of women whose breast cancer is detected early like me now beat the disease because of progress in treatments, according to recent analysis by the ­British Medical Journal.

Surgery cures most breast cancers, while chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy can reduce the long-term risk of dying in cases where some disease remains.

Today, I’m honoured to be joining a wonderful charity, Prevent Breast Cancer, as patron and will do all I can to help spread the word about the importance of early detection.

I was introduced to the charity by the brilliant Coronation Street actress Sally Dynevor, who is also a breast cancer survivor, when we co-hosted ITV’s Loose Women, with whom I have launched a ‘Don’t Skip Your Screening’ campaign backed by NHS England.

Prevent Breast Cancer uses science to save lives and is the UK’s only charity dedicated to the prediction and prevention of breast cancer. Since 2010, they’ve funded over £4million in research projects.

Now, working together, we are aiming to build a new National Breast Imaging Academy.

Staff shortages will mean longer waiting times and delayed diagnosis, risking women’s lives

Sarah Ferguson

Sally and I will be visiting the site in ­Manchester today.

The academy will aim to address a workforce shortage in breast screening, with lots of radiographers and radiologists set to retire in the next few years.

Staff shortages will mean longer waiting times and delayed ­diagnoses, risking women’s lives.

The National Breast Imaging Academy will train 50 new breast imaging specialists a year.

Without breast imaging, we’re in the dark on breast cancer.

Every woman who has a routine ­mammogram, or who finds a lump and is checked out, will then undergo breast imaging to detect and diagnose cancer.

We need to raise £600,000 to get the academy built and we are asking for Sun readers’ support. Construction starts in November.

Breast cancer doesn’t wait and neither can we. Your support will mean more mammograms, more research and more lives saved.

• To donate to help build the National Breast Imaging Academy and support a vision of a future free from breast cancer, visit preventbreastcancer.org.uk

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Sarah, with Prince Andrew, is urging others to never miss appointments[/caption]

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The Duchess with her daughter Beatrice and her sister Jane – who went into bossy older sibling mode and insisted she went to a breast screening appointment[/caption]