The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, has been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
It’s shock news for the royal, who battled breast cancer in 2023 and had a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery as a result.
She had some moles removed during her treatment for breast cancer, which returned the second cancer diagnosis.
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is caused by ultraviolet light, from sun exposure and sunbeds (which are not illegal in the United Kingdom). Melanoma is usually treated by removing the tumour and ensuring that it has not invaded the skin surrounding it, as it can spread to other parts of the body and, potentially, be deadly.
It’s believed that Ferguson is currently in an investigation phase to ensure that doctors have a good understanding of how advanced the cancer is.
“She is undergoing further investigations to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages,” her spokesperson told Sky News.
“Clearly, another diagnosis so soon after treatment for breast cancer has been distressing, but the duchess remains in good spirits.”
The BBC reports that Ferguson is taking the diagnosis in her stride and wants to use her journey as a reminder to the British public to get their skin checked regularly.
“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,” they said.
The news of Ferguson’s illness adds to a growing list of medical difficulties happening concurrently within the British royal family.
Kate Middleton was hospitalised for abdominal surgery and is undergoing nearly two weeks of recovery at the facility before heading home to continue recuperating. Meanwhile, Prince Charles is having a minor operation to fix an enlarged prostate and will be taking some time off to heal.
While Kensington Palace have remained tight lipped about why Middleton underwent abdominal surgery, it’s believed that the King was open about his health condition to try to encourage more men to get checked if they are experiencing symptoms.
It seems that King Charles’ hunch that being open about medical conditions is, in fact, correct. The BBC reported a huge upswing in searches for ‘enlarged prostate’ within the NHS website, with one visit to the page every five seconds after the news was announced.
For more information on melanoma and what to look out for, check the Cancer Counsil’s website here.
