There are several royal privileges that Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, still enjoys despite her divorce from Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and excellent health care is among them. There's no question her medical team will do everything possible to treat the beloved royal's melanoma if it has spread beyond the mole where it originated. If caught early, melanoma has a 99% five-year survival rate. Sarah's spokesperson expressed her hope that her experience would raise public awareness of the condition.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. The academy advises looking for the "ABCDEs" of moles during self-skin-checks: An asymmetrical appearance, an uneven border, one or more colors, a diameter bigger than a pencil eraser, and/or any mole that evolves in shape or size over time. Other types of skin cancer, such as basal cell cancer, may appear as smooth, shiny bumps, a scaly patch, or a sore that doesn't heal. Sarah's pale skin put her at greater risk for melanoma, though the disease can occur in people of any skin tone.
If there's a bright spot to Sarah's latest life challenge, it's that it coincides with her recent welcome back into the royal fold. At Christmas 2023, the duchess was invited to join King Charles III and the other senior royals for their annual post-church walkabout for the first time in 30 years. Having the support of her former in-laws will surely be a great comfort in a time of such uncertainty — and Ferguson could return the favor as the king and Kate Middleton recover from their hospital stays.
