Sarah Ferguson Admits 'Shock' Yet Remains Positive Despite Skin Cancer Battle

Sarah Ferguson is not letting her skin cancer diagnosis get her down as she shares that she remains determined to raise awareness about the disease through her personal experience.

The Duchess of York talked about her battle with breast cancer last year, and her subsequent melanoma diagnosis in a recent Instagram post where she added a photo showing her standing on a stool.

She wrote: "I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, this year and had it not been for the diligence and care of my physicians, my situation could have been so much worse."

Fergie, as she is famously known, shared that 2023 was a busy year for her and shared that she nearly put off her routine mammogram screening. But had it not been for the insistence of her sister Jane, who convinced her to go, then she would not have found out that she had breast cancer.

The 64-year-old then talked about having a single mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery. She shared that after having done both procedures, she had hoped that the cancer cells were gone. Unfortunately, one of the moles that she had requested to be removed and go through biopsy during the reconstruction came out positive for skin cancer.

"I could only hope that I was in the clear, which is why a new diagnosis of skin cancer came as a shock," she continued.

Nonetheless, Ferguson said that she is "in the best hands and feeling positive" with the support of her family. She also encouraged everyone to have themselves checked for cancer writing: "To mark #CancerPreventionActionWeek, I would like to urge anyone who is able to be diligent with their health check ups. I'm determined to do whatever I can to help raise awareness by sharing my experience."

..."Days could make the difference between life and death, so please don't skip or put off your #healthchecks and urge your loved ones to go to theirs. Help #preventcancer. #CancerAwareness," she concluded her post and included the hashtags #preventcancer and #CancerAwareness.

In a previous post, the Duchess of York also thanked Teenage Cancer Trust for its tireless work in supporting children suffering from cancer. She wrote: "Today on #ChildhoodCancerDay, I want to thank @teenage_cancer for the important work they are doing to support young people with cancer and ensure that a cancer diagnosis and treatment doesn't stop them from living their lives or keeping up with their peers in receiving an education."

Ferguson is not the only royal family member who is undergoing treatment for cancer. King Charles III also has cancer although it is not known what type it is and what stage. The duchess talked about the monarch's own battle with the disease along with a photo taken from the Cancer Alliance Hope and Help Luncheon, the first event she attended since she told the public about her melanoma and following news of the monarch's own cancer diagnosis.

She wrote: "His Majesty is very dear to me and I think I speak for everyone when I say he is in my thoughts and prayers."

Ferguson added: "It felt like a timely moment to help raise funds to support others dealing with cancer diagnoses, who may be going through financial or emotional struggles in light of a health emergency. It was both healing and inspiring to meet so many amazing ladies, who do so much for others through their work with Cancer Alliance."

Fergie has been outspoken about her journey with cancer, having gone on several TV interviews last year to talk about her battle with breast cancer. She opened up about her melanoma diagnosis in an Instagram post on Jan. 21.