The mayor was diagnosed with the disease in April after a routine mammogram and underwent surgery in a Sydney last week to have the tumour removed.

She returned to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick on Tuesday for more surgery and is expected to be there for two days.

“I’ve been given the all-clear and the cancer hasn’t spread but the margin of error is not quite big enough, so they just have to take some more of the breast around the site of the tumour,” she said.

“They’re going to take another ‘slice’, as they call it.”

It will also mean she won’t have to undergo chemotherapy but once her wound is healed she will start six weeks of radiation therapy.

“It is a huge relief and I can’t thank everyone enough for their letters and well wishes,” she said.

“It certainly made me realise there are people out there who do care.”

Cr Gash made her diagnosis public in the hope of encouraging other women to get checked.

“If this had not been found I certainly would have been in a worse situation,” she said.

“My whole motive for going public was to say, ‘Yes, anyone can get it, it doesn’t matter who you are.’

“I urge all women to have regular check-ups.”

She said she hoped to be back at work as soon as Thursday.

“Last week was hard sitting at home, not working,” she said.

“I really did miss it and these things are sent to try you. It gave me the chance to think about things and what’s important and what’s not.

“I’m looking forward to getting back out among the people attending all the community events I do.

“Deputy mayor John Wells has been tremendous as acting mayor in my absence.”