Sarah Ferguson 'lucky to be alive' after 'eight hours' of operation

Sarah Ferguson is happy to be alive after her successful operation for breast cancer.

The Duchess of York had a long surgery of 'eight hours' while being surrounded by close family members at the hospital.

A spokesman for the Duchess told the Mirror: "Sarah, Duchess of York was recently diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer detected at a routine mammogram screening.

"She was advised she needed to undergo surgery which has taken place successfully."

They said: "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.

"Specifically, the duchess wants to thank the two incredible surgeons Christina Choy and Stuart James who carried out the operation and all the medical team who worked tirelessly to help her."

This comes after Sarah herself spoke about strength and the newfound appreciation for life she has gotten after her diagnosis.