‘I went to the Corrie set with Fergie – she’s so normal, what she did astonished me’
OPINION: Sarah, Duchess of York travelled to Manchester to visit the Corrie cobbles as she became patron of a breast cancer charity – and I went along to meet her
Sarah Ferguson is one of those rarest of people. She is someone who has constantly overcome adversity, been dealt hands of bad luck and spent more than 35 years under the intense, gruelling media spotlight… but she is still standing tall and is readily determined to do good.
As I met the Duchess in Manchester on Wednesday, 9 October – to see her become became patron of the empowering charity Prevent Breast Cancer – her devotion to helping others was absolutely clear. And having interviewed her before and come away with equally warm memories, I can guarantee that what you see is what you get… 100 per cent authenticity.
I watched in awe as she chatted, laughed and exchanged heart-wrenching details of her own battle with breast cancer with patients and nurses. The reality is she doesn’t have to continue to use her public profile for the benefit of others, but she does – and does so expertly.
Having been approached by Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor backstage at Loose Women, the Duchess’ reaction to providing the final push of help to secure the future of the National Breast Imaging Academy was guttural: “I have to help”, she recalled as she spoke to me, OK!’s royal reporter, on the day.
“I’m coming to Manchester,” she told Sally. “We’ll get to work and help you raise the last £600,000. Every little bit helps and that’s why everyone doing all this work here is so important. 57,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and I am very proud, and excited, to be part of the National Breast Imaging Academy.”
