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| Former MP reveals breast cancer diagnosis | Former MP reveals breast cancer diagnosis |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Vicky Ford, the former MP for Chelmsford, says she will have surgery in a few weeks' time | Vicky Ford, the former MP for Chelmsford, says she will have surgery in a few weeks' time |
| The former MP for Chelmsford, Vicky Ford, has revealed she has breast cancer. | The former MP for Chelmsford, Vicky Ford, has revealed she has breast cancer. |
| In a post on social media, external, she said she had been diagnosed after a routine mammogram between Christmas and New Year. | In a post on social media, external, she said she had been diagnosed after a routine mammogram between Christmas and New Year. |
| Ms Ford said she had been booked in for surgery in a few weeks' time to remove the lump and may require radiotherapy afterwards. | Ms Ford said she had been booked in for surgery in a few weeks' time to remove the lump and may require radiotherapy afterwards. |
| "It's a bit of a shock, but I'm not going to let this frighten me," Ms Ford told the BBC. | |
| 'I'm going to beat this' | |
| Ms Ford - the Conservative MP for Chelmsford from 2017 to 2024 - said the news of her diagnosis "could not have been delivered in a kinder, calmer or more reassuring way". | Ms Ford - the Conservative MP for Chelmsford from 2017 to 2024 - said the news of her diagnosis "could not have been delivered in a kinder, calmer or more reassuring way". |
| "The word cancer is a word that feels really frightening," Ms Ford told BBC Essex. | |
| "I really don't want to be frightened by this. I want to stay positive." | |
| Ms Ford said she was planning positive things in her diary to look forward to during her treatment | |
| Ms Ford said that the lump was too small for her to feel, and she was "so grateful" that it was detected on the mammogram. | |
| The former children's minister said she chose to go public with the news after struggling to answer the question "how are you?". | |
| She added: "I found it really hard to respond because although I feel fine - and I'm fitter and healthier physically than I think I've been for ages - obviously I'm not fine because I do have cancer, but I'm going to beat this." | |
| "I am hopeful that it will all be over, done and dusted before spring is out," she added. | "I am hopeful that it will all be over, done and dusted before spring is out," she added. |
| 'So glad I did it' | |
| Ms Ford, who was an MEP for the East of England for eight years before becoming an MP, urged people to attend routine mammograms or other cancer screenings. | |
| "I've flown through so many different cancer screens over the years," she said. | |
| "I didn't pass this one, but I am so glad I did it because it means they found it early, and that gives us the best chance of fighting it." | |
| Thanking the medical team who have cared for her, Ms Ford said 2025 was going to be "a good year". | Thanking the medical team who have cared for her, Ms Ford said 2025 was going to be "a good year". |
| Get in touch | Get in touch |
| Do you have a story suggestion for Essex? | Do you have a story suggestion for Essex? |
| Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, Instagram, external and X, external. | Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, Instagram, external and X, external. |