Sarah Ferguson 'delighted' to become breast cancer charity patron after her own diagnosis

is "delighted" to become the patron of Prevent Breast Cancer as she vows to do all she can to raise awareness of the importance of prevention and early detection.

Last year and underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction surgery before later being .

and she hopes to use her new patronage to promote the charity's work and help drive fundraising.

"I know first-hand what it feels like to hear the words 'breast cancer' and learn that you are facing a life-changing diagnosis, course of treatment and recovery," she said.

"It's the news everyone dreads but I consider myself one of the lucky ones, because my cancer was caught early at a routine mammogram which meant that my prognosis was good.

"It's thanks to my mammogram that I'm here today, so I can't overstate how important it is that women go for their routine appointments whenever they are called up."

The patronage announcement coincides with Prevent Breast Cancer's new public appeal to raise £600,000 to secure the future of the National Breast Imaging Academy in Manchester - which will train 50 new breast imaging specialists a year to benefit and strengthen breast services across the UK.

The Academy will also increase screening capacity in Manchester by 13,000 appointments annually.

Sarah said of the appeal: "It's extremely worrying that a third of women are missing their screening at the moment.

"The fact is that the NHS screening programme is also under significant pressure from staffing shortfalls and the future of this programme could be at risk if we don't act now to protect it.

"The National Breast Imaging Academy offers a solution: training new experts and increasing screening capacity to protect our national breast screening programme and save lives in the years ahead."

Construction for the Academy is set to begin next month at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of Manchester NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).

Prevent Breast Cancer is jointly fundraising for its construction with Manchester NHS Foundation Trust Charity and together the two organisations have already secured over 80 percent of the costs required to build it - and have launched the appeal to raise the final £600,000.

Sarah said: "I'm delighted to be joining Prevent Breast Cancer as a patron, and even more so to be helping raise awareness of this incredible Academy which deserves all of our support.

"I urge people to help us reach our fundraising target - every penny counts and you will be helping to save the lives of countless women in the future."

The Duchess joins a host of fellow patrons including Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver, actress Victoria Ekanoye, and newsreader and host of The Krypton Factor, Gordon Burns, in supporting the charity.

In May, Sarah's daughter Princess Beatrice revealed her mother was "all clear" and "thriving" following her double cancer scare.