Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I felt perfectly fine but inside my body cancer was raging
Ritchie, 60, tells how breast screening saved life
FORMER SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie has revealed how routine breast screening may have saved her life following a cancer diagnosis.
The 60-year-old was told she had the disease last winter after “religiously attending” three-yearly mammograms since turning 50.
After finally finishing months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy last week, Ms Ritchie, from Downpatrick, Co Down, said she was relieved the cancer had been caught at an early stage.
And she urged others not to miss appointments offered on the NHS to all women aged between 50 and 70.
Ms Ritchie, who has had a mastectomy, said: “I felt perfectly fine, I felt healthy and fit and did not think there was anything wrong.
“But the cancer was like something sleeping in my body, except it wasn’t sleeping, inside my breast it was raging.
“Even when working across Westminster and Stormont, I always prioritised my mammogram appointments and I am now so relieved I did.
“I encourage other women to always undertake the screening programme. From a political point of view, I believe it should be available every two years.”
Ms Ritchie added she went into a “daze” when doctors told her she had cancer.
She said: “I was in tears for the first few days and then I thought ‘wise up’ you have to manage your body and you have to get on with managing your life.”
Ms Ritchie, who lobbied for accessible local health services throughout her 38-year political career, added it was ironic how she would be one of the first clients of a new bra-fitting service for cancer survivors in her home town when it is launched by Cancer Focus on Monday. Ms Ritchie added: “To have this service on my doorstep will make such a difference.”