Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, revealed on Monday that she has skin cancer. This is the second form of cancer the British royal has been diagnosed with in a year, after confirming she had breast cancer in June.
Ferguson shared his health news on Monday in an Instagram post.
“I have been taking some time for myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year after being diagnosed with breast cancer this summer and undergoing a mastectomy and a reconstructive surgery,” he said. she wrote. “It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was present.”
Ferguson, 64, said she was in “good spirits” even though the discouraging diagnosis came as a “shock” to her and her loved ones.
The British author and television personality also took a moment in her Monday post to encourage others to constantly monitor themselves for any signs of skin cancer.
“I think my experience underscores the importance of checking the size, shape, color, texture and appearance of new moles that may be a sign of melanoma and I urge anyone reading this to be diligent,” Ferguson wrote.
She closed her message by assuring her 679,000 followers that she is now “resting with her family at home” and thanked the medical teams who have helped her overcome two bouts of cancer.
A spokesperson for the duchess told the BBC that Ferguson's dermatologist asked her to have several moles removed and analyzed while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy, and one of the moles “has been identified as cancerous.”
The spokesman added that Ferguson will undergo further investigations to ensure the cancer is detected at an early stage.
In June, the philanthropist and ex-wife of Britain's Prince Andrew revealed that she had undergone surgery after cancer was detected during a routine mammogram, a spokesperson for the duchess confirmed to the Los Angeles Times.
“The duchess is receiving the best medical care and has been told by her doctors that the prognosis is good,” the spokesperson said in a statement at the time. “She is now recovering with her family. The Duchess would like to express her immense gratitude to all the medical staff who have supported her in recent days.”
Ferguson gave more details about her breast cancer diagnosis during a June episode of her podcast, “Tea Talks With the Duchess and Sarah.” The royal underwent a unique mastectomy at King Edward VII's Hospital in London in June.
While she urged listeners to be diligent about getting checkups, Ferguson admitted she had been procrastinating until her sister insisted she get a mammogram as soon as possible.
“Don't say it's not going to happen to you,” Ferguson said. “It doesn't matter if you feel well because cancer can be very silent. …Go get a test. Go get checked out. Dont wait”.
Ferguson's diagnosis comes on the heels of announcements from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace about the health of King Charles III and his daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales, respectively. Catherine was hospitalized in London last week and will remain there for around two weeks after undergoing planned abdominal surgery. Charles will undergo a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate this week.
Times staff writer Christi Carras contributed to this report.
