How Sarah Ferguson Is Being Kind To Herself After Her Cancer Diagnosis

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, was diagnosed with breast cancer recently, and she recorded the fifth episode of her podcast, "Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah" shortly after grueling breast cancer surgery. In the podcast, Ferguson talked about how her perspectives on life had changed, along with some realizations she'd had since the surgery. On a practical note, she commented that she was sitting in a super comfy chair for the recording, as she's definitely still recovering. Then Ferguson talked about how important it was for her, and for anyone facing a similar situation, to take things slowly and to remember to not try and be a superhero: "Take mini-steps and have the cup of tea. And trust people."

She talked more about the process of dealing with her breast cancer diagnosis and acknowledged that she heard people saying she was brave, but Ferguson didn't think that was quite the right description. Instead she said, "It's not bravery; it's not courage. It's about understanding that you're not going to feel as you did for a bit."

She also talked about the importance of not taking things for granted and being grateful for what you have — Ferguson even turned around on her way to record the podcast to go back and give her daughter Beatrice a hug and thank her for what she's done. She's also making sure to be kind and good to herself, treating herself like she would a close friend.

On "Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah," Fergie had a message that she'd known was true before, but was reminded of after her diagnosis and surgery: "Be mindful of each word that you might say. Be gentle with yourself and people and be very grateful. ... stop letting fear run you."

She also spoke about the mind-body connection and how important it is for her to have self-awareness about signals from the body and the brain's reactions (or mis-reactions) to those signals. That awareness has helped Ferguson calm down in situations where her mind might otherwise run away with itself. Another way Ferguson said she keeps her mind on an even keel and stops from spiraling is to talk about her feelings with friends who wouldn't judge her.

Ferguson's sense of what matters in life and how to be kind to oneself was renewed after a doctor saw a shadow during a routine mammogram that was then determined to be breast cancer. The treatment plan she and her doctors chose was a mastectomy and reconstruction; she said that no follow-up radiation or chemotherapy was needed. And she emphasized the importance of early detection so you can face the situation head-on, and Ferguson definitely encouraged everyone to get their doctor's recommended cancer screenings. We're wishing her continued healing and recovery, and we're happy to hear she's got such a positive mindset!