Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie receiving treatment for breast cancer

Margaret Ritchie revealed she is receiving treatment for breast cancer. Picture by BBC
Margaret Ritchie revealed she is receiving treatment for breast cancer. Picture by BBC Margaret Ritchie revealed she is receiving treatment for breast cancer. Picture by BBC

FORMER SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie has revealed she had a mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Ms Ritchie said she is halfway through a course of chemotherapy.

The cancer is treatable, she said, and added that she is "looking forward to recovery and restoration to full health".

The former south Down MP received the news when she went for her three-yearly mammogram.

She told the BBC that there was no evidence of breast cancer in her family.

"It was quite a shock to me but in a quick space of time I got my head around it," she said.

"I'm a fairly pragmatic individual. I knew that this had to be dealt with and the only way I could get it dealt with was via surgery and also getting rid of it and it would mean treatment."

She revealed that she had a mastectomy in March.

"I'm in the midst of chemotherapy at the moment and it will be followed by radiotherapy and hormone tablets as well which, I'll be on for several years," she added.

Ms Ritchie was MP for south Down from 2010 until last year when she lost her Westminster seat to Sinn Féin's Chris Hazzard.

She said she could do some consultancy work and attend political meetings, but treatment and recovery took up most of her time.

"You could feel sorry for yourself, but feeling sorry for yourself doesn't achieve anything," she added.

"This is probably my toughest battle because it's about my health, but I have been told that it's treatable breast cancer and I'm looking forward to recovery and restoration to full health."