Sarah Ferguson has been seen for the first time since her mastectomy.
In images obtained by MailOnline, she was driving through Windsor with ex-husband Prince Andrew.
The Duchess of York shared last month that she’d undergone a successful single mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Over the last few weeks, she has been recovering at Royal Lodge, Windsor. She lives there with Andrew and their dogs.
Last week, she discussed her breast cancer diagnosis on her podcast Tea Talks with friend Sarah. She described it as a “friend”, saying: “I really feel this is really exciting, about having this enormous friend with me, who is now my friend, to such a degree I feel like a shield, like I’ve got a shield of protection, because it feels like it’s definitely there to say, ‘We got this’.”
Today, the message she wants to get out is that she is very grateful to those who saved her and she feels very lucky to be alive.
She first found out something wasn’t quite right following a routine mammogram at the start of May. The technician told her that there was a ‘shadow’ in the breast. While breast cancer is often associated with lumps, shadows are sometimes found. These are harder to detect, as they consist of cancerous cells spread out more widely. However, they can be discovered through screening.
After a biopsy a few days later, Sarah’s diagnosis was confirmed.
“Devastated” over mastectomy recommendation
Because of the wider area the cells covered, the Duchess was advised to go through with a single mastectomy rather than a lumpectomy. While she was said to be “devastated”, she told friends that she had “no choice” but to undergo the surgery.
Christina Choy carried out the mastectomy. Consultant plastic surgeon Stuart James then performed a breast reconstruction.
Stuart is actually known to Prince William, too. William was in attendance at The Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea a decade ago when he explained how a breast reconstruction is carried out.
It’s a complex procedure, and can take over six hours. It involved microvascular surgery – cutting and rejoining fragile blood vessels. Indeed, Sarah’s surgery took eight hours, while she had four days in intensive care too.
A friend of the Duchess said shortly after the operation: “The surgery was very long – getting on for eight hours – and it was more involved than people think. Today, the message she wants to get out is that she is very grateful to those who saved her and she feels very lucky to be alive.”
While recovering, the Duchess shared that she had been watching Wimbledon. And she’s received an outpouring of support from well-wishers, including hundreds of letters.
Staying at Royal Ledge
And a royal expert shared earlier this month that Sarah and Andrew are likely to remain living at Royal Lodge for a while. There were rumours that the pair could be evicted. However, royal commentator Ann Gripper said this would not be a “good look” given Sarah’s breast cancer diagnosis this year.
Meanwhile, the Duchess also shared the sweet gesture daughter Princess Beatrice did for her following the operation. A week after the op, the Duchess recorded an episode of her podcast, and revealed that Beatrice chose the green dress she wore that day. And she said that Beatrice’s younger sister, Princess Eugenie, had “all but moved in” to Royal Lodge to help her out following the surgery.
Read more: Sarah Ferguson’s vow to always be there for Prince Andrew – because of the Queen
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