Sarah, Duchess of York is set to make her first television appearance since her breast cancer diagnosis.
The 64-year-old author, who underwent a single mastectomy operation in June, will appear on Loose Women on Thursday to launch a breast cancer campaign.
During the special episode, the show will launch its inaugural Don’t Skip Your Screening campaign to highlight the importance of being screened for cancer.
Ahead of her appearance, Sarah said: “I almost missed the screening appointment that saved my life.
“I couldn’t face a journey into London on a hot day this summer and it was only my sister Jane’s insistence that I went, that persuaded me.”
She added: “My cancer was completely symptom-free – I never found a lump and did not feel ill. My experience underlines the vital importance of getting screened when you’re called in.”
She added that she is “proud” to support the campaign, which is being backed by NHS England, to encourage other women to attend the appointments when they are invited.
The Duchess will join presenters Christine Lampard, Coleen Nolan and Brenda Edwards on the ITV show to discuss the campaign and experience.
Charity Breast Cancer Now said it is “extremely grateful” that the show is “shining a bright spotlight on breast screening” and “highlighting the important issue of tackling the shortfall in women having breast screening caused by the Covid-19 pandemic”.
In a statement, it added: “Breast screening is a vital tool in helping to detect breast cancer at the earliest possible stage, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
“We encourage all women to attend breast screening appointments when invited and to regularly check their breasts, reporting any unusual changes to their GP as soon as possible.”
Sarah has spoken about her recovery from her operation on the first series of her podcast Tea Talks With The Duchess & Sarah, which wrapped in August.
The Duchess even revealed the unique nicknames she had given her reconstructed breast.
“I am just coming to terms with my new best friend Derek, on my left, he’s called Derek,” she told her co-host Sarah Thomson, before adding: “He’s very important because he saved my life.”
When asked why she had chosen Derek, Sarah replied: “I don’t know. It just made me laugh that I have now a friend who is with me all the time who is protecting me with his shield of armour. I have a got a perky here friend on my left.”
Revealing her other breast’s male name, she continued: “Poor Eric on the right is feeling rather sad because he is not as perky as Derek on the left, but I will get Eric balanced, don’t worry.”
Sarah resides at Royal Lodge in Windsor with her former husband, Prince Andrew, and at the end of the summer she hinted she had joined the royals at Balmoral for their annual summer break.
On the last episode of Tea Talks, Sarah revealed: “I’ve been to Scotland… but Derek is doing really well.”
