Sarah Ferguson has had her fair share of health scares in recent years. In summer 2023, she received a breast cancer diagnosis following a routine mammogram screening, and now, Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York has been diagnosed with skin cancer.
In a statement, her spokesperson said; "Her dermatologist asked that several moles were removed and analysed at the same time as the duchess was undergoing reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy, and one of these has been identified as cancerous.
"She is undergoing further investigations to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages.
"The duchess wants to thank the entire medical team which has supported her, particularly her dermatologist whose vigilance ensured the illness was detected when it was.
"She believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, colour and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma."
The news comes less than a year since she underwent surgery to remove a cancerous growth in her breast. Last summer a spokesperson for the family revealed her breast cancer news, saying, “She was advised she needed to undergo surgery which has taken place successfully,”
“The Duchess is receiving the best medical care and her doctors have told her that the prognosis is good. She is now recuperating with her family.”
“The Duchess wants to express her immense gratitude to all the medical staff who have supported her in recent days.
She opened up about her breast cancer in an episode of her podcast, Tea Talks, where Sarah bravely opened up about her cancer journey and her single mastectomy, the importance of getting checked and the impact cancer has had on her own family.
Sarah encourages women to attend their routine mammogram appointments
Sarah also wanted to thank the brilliant NHS staff who picked up on the shadow in her breast and spotted the cancer on her mammogram, encouraging other women to make sure they attend their important mammogram screenings.
“She is also hugely thankful to the staff involved in the mammogram which identified her illness, which was otherwise symptom-free, and believes her experience underlines the importance of regular screening.”
During the emotional episode of her podcast, she encouraged her listeners to "just get checked". She also joked about her sister, Jane, who was encouraging Sarah to make sure she attended her appointment.
As Sarah mentioned in the podcast, she had no symptoms or concerns about her breasts, so the diagnosis came as a real surprise, but really showed the importance of routine screenings for the disease.
