Tina Knowles warns people ‘not to slack on your mammograms’ after cancer diagnosis

Tina Knowles was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer last July

Beyoncé's mother confirmed the diagnosis in an interview with People.

She said she was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in July.

She told the publication: "I struggled with whether I would share that journey [in the book] because I'm very private. But I decided to share it because I think it's a lot of lessons in it for other women."

"And I think as women, sometimes we get so busy and we get so wrapped up and running around, but you must go get your test. Because if I had not gotten my test early, I mean, I shudder to think what could have happened to me."

Knowles explained that she missed a scheduled mammogram prior to her diagnosis.

She said: "I forgot that I didn't go to get my test two years before I thought I had because Covid came and they called me and canceled me and they said, we'll call you when we start testing again.

"And I just thought I had done it. So you cannot play around with that."

She reminded women of the importance of getting their routine mammograms.

In Ireland, women aged 50 and over will be invited to a breast screening appointment.

The HSE aims to send you an appointment letter:

• for your first screening test by age 52 - in some cases 53
• every 2 to 3 years after that, up to the age of 69

You can join, check, or update the breast screening register from the age of 48.

Click here to find out about registering for your breast cancer screening.