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Sarah Ferguson’s double cancer diagnosis wasn’t just terrifying – it was a life-altering moment.
The Duchess of York candidly opened up about the emotional toll of her dual cancer diagnoses, confessing it felt “like a death sentence” at the time.
Ferguson, 65, shared with the U.K. newspaper The Times that her medical news felt like a “bomb going off in my life.”
SARAH FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK, ADMITS ‘SHOCK’ FROM 2ND CANCER DIAGNOSIS WITHIN A YEAR: ‘BE DILIGENT’
The Duchess of York opened up about her cancer journey, admitting her double diagnosis felt like a “death sentence.” (Julia Reinhart/Getty Images)
In 2023, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and months later she was diagnosed with skin cancer.
“I was 63 when I was diagnosed with cancer for the first time and cancer at any age is traumatic,” she told the outlet.
“But as adults, we have maturity and life experience to help us advocate for ourselves and cope with challenges. We can seek help if we need it and most importantly our voices are, sadly, often taken more seriously.”
Sarah, Duchess of York and her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie speak to patient Matthew Pegg during a visit to the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at University College Hospital, London on April 23, 2025. (Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images)
Sarah Ferguson revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2023. (David M. Benett/Getty Images)
Although Ferguson felt supported during her cancer battle, she shared how young people are left “to struggle alone with the dark thoughts”.
Ferguson, “Fergie,” advocated for teens who battle cancer as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust’s campaign. She has been a patron of the organization for 35 years.
Her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have followed in their mother’s footsteps to raise cancer awareness among young people.
“One group I feel is consistently neglected by those developing health plans and policies is teenagers and young people,” Ferguson wrote in a separate article for The Times.
DUCHESS SARAH FERGUSON DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER
Her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have followed in their mother’s footsteps to raise cancer awareness among young people. (Max Mumby via Getty Images)
Ferguson shared how young people with cancer face their own challenges, including receiving treatment not tailored to their age.
“While difficulty accessing trials impacts patients of all ages, young people are uniquely disadvantaged. This is because they are more likely to experience rare cancers or are too old to take part in pediatric trials and too young for adult trials. We must find solutions to these challenges and save more young lives,” she wrote in support of The Teenage Cancer Trust.
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Her health campaign included a letter to health secretary Wes Streeting to request teens be considered in the National Cancer Plan for England. She urged teens with cancer be supported by helping them receive “fast diagnoses, better access to clinical trials and better mental health support.”
Ferguson’s cancer campaign comes after she was diagnosed with “malignant melanoma” in January 2024. (Debbie Hare)
“The third area is access to mental health support. A trust survey of psychologists found that 87% don’t feel that national provisions meet the needs of teenagers and young people with the disease. It is our duty to help amplify their voices and ensure they are not overlooked,” she concluded.
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Ferguson’s cancer campaign comes after she was diagnosed with an “early form of breast cancer,” which had been detected during a routine mammogram screening, in June 2023. She was also diagnosed with “malignant melanoma” in January 2024.
“Following her diagnosis with an early form of breast cancer this summer, Sarah, Duchess of York has now been diagnosed with malignant melanoma,” a representative for the Duchess of York told Fox News Digital at the time.
During the reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy, Ferguson had moles removed which were then tested. One of the moles was determined to be cancerous.
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