Broadcaster Jenni Murray last night hammered home the importance of routine breast screening as she spoke of her own recovery from cancer to women in Belfast.

The Radio 4 presenter, who was told she had breast cancer on the same day her mother died in December 2006, revealed how her diagnosis was delayed significantly because she ignored an invitation to go for NHS screening.

The 58-year-old, who has presented the popular Women’s Hour radio programme for nearly 20 years, was guest speaker at an Ulster Cancer Foundation event at the Europa Hotel yesterday for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Murray told the Belfast Telegraph how she received an invitation to go for a routine check 18 months before noticing symptoms — but forgot to go.

“I’m the first to admit what an idiot I was for just setting the invitation among a pile of papers and forgetting about it,” she said.

“It was about 18 months later when I noticed my nipple was beginning to retract so I went to the doctor. I had a mammogram done and, sure enough, I had breast cancer. I received the diagnosis on the same day my mother died.”

The presenter went on to have one breast removed, followed by an intense course of chemotherapy.

“I was extremely lucky because my breast cancer was a slow progressing one.

“It would have been a completely different story had it been more aggressive and that really was down to the luck of the draw,” she said.

Yesterday’s event was aimed at helping to raise awareness and funds to support the 1,000 women in Northern Ireland who are diagnosed with the disease every year.

For further information, log on to www.ulstercancer.org or email infocis@ulstercancer.org.