Sarah Ferguson Speaks Out on Breast Cancer Diagnosis — and Credits Sister for Pushing Her to Get Checked

Fergie spoke candidly on her 'Tea Talks' podcast the day before undergoing surgery

Sarah Ferguson is speaking about her breast cancer diagnosis and urges people to “get checked.”

The Duchess of York, 63, spoke about her cancer on her own podcast, recorded a day before her successful mastectomy operation. On Tea Talks With The Duchess and Sarah, she tells her co-host, Sarah Thomas, that cancer was detected following a routine test.

"It's very important that I speak about," she said.

Her rep confirmed to PEOPLE on Sunday evening that the surgery had been a success.

"The Duchess is receiving the best medical care and her doctors have told her that the prognosis is good. She is now recuperating with her family," the rep said. "The Duchess wants to express her immense gratitude to all the medical staff who have supported her in recent days."

“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," added the representative.

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In the podcast, which aired on Monday morning, Fergie — as the Duchess of York is popularly known — recalled how her sister Jane encouraged her to get the routine screening done during a conversation.

"It was after 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,' " Ferguson said. "My sister, who's wonderful from Australia, I always normally do what she says because she gets so cranky. She said, 'No — go. I need you to go. I need you to go."

Fergie added that Jane was "ringing me up about something else" when the conversation about going for a mammogram came up.

"Thank you, Jane," she said. "I think it's so important you do talk about it."

Fergie also referenced her father, who had died of prostate cancer and also spoke about the importance of early detection.

“I don't mind if no one wants to hear from me. Because I'm telling you that I am doing this. I am telling people out there because want every single person that is listening to this podcast to go get checked, go get screened and go do it," Ferguson said.

Her co-host Thomas added, “It’s that old adage if you can help one person. And I looked up the stats before, and they are incredible because actually for everybody who goes to a mammogram, only nine in a thousand, are found to have something. But you’ve got to remember, that's before any symptoms come, you didn't find a lump or anything. And the earlier your diagnosis, the much greater chance you have. Ninety-seven percent of people who then have early diagnosis because of all the incredible new treatments are still alive after five years.”

Fergie recognized that "the minute you mentioned the word it's frightening.” She said it was “only a shadow,” but she wouldn’t have found out without the screening. “They wouldn't have found out that it needs to be immediately sorted.”

She gave what she called a “shout out” to the public-funded National Health Service for helping her, the doctors, nurses and  the hospital staff “that are working so hard to help me.” She added,  “The lovely nurses that are so comforting and the counseling, and it's just all very strong unity of facing an enormous fear. But you're not alone.”

She has worked with cancer charities, notably the Teenage Cancer Trust, giving her some insight that helped her, the Duchess and author added.

“I'm so grateful I've talked to so many sufferers with cancer that I can glean from them certain tips that can help me through this moment. You've talked about earlier that you were going to get fit," Fergie said. "I'm taking this as a real gift to, to me, to change my life, to nurture myself. I know. To stop trying to fix everyone else."

“I think, are you gonna take yourself seriously now, Sarah? I'm taking myself seriously. I'm going to understand it, get super fit, super strong, really understand what it was that caused this to come as a shadow. It was a shadow. Look at it straight on.”

Asked about the operation she says, “Oh, yes. It's tomorrow. Of course the, the doubting mind comes in, you know, I think that when it comes in, you shine light on it and say, no, no, I got this very sort of nlp.

I've just studied the mental side of life in such depth that I have the toolbox that can help me through it.”

She started by giving some background to her volunteering for the Teenage Cancer Trust more than 30 years ago.

She also introduced her daughters — Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie — to it, celebrating their respective 18^th birthdays with it and teens in the hospital.

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And Fergie is looking ahead — she says she will start writing her third book.

"I'm gonna go out there and get super fit and super well, super strong," she said. "And if I have to shout about this from the top of the mountains then I'll shout about it. Because I think it's vital that we need to wake everybody up to go screen, not just breast cancer. I'm talking prostate and all the checks."

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