HEALTHSarah Ferguson Admits Her 2 'Traumatic' Cancer Diagnoses Felt 'Like a Death Sentence'
Sarah Ferguson is spreading awareness about how people of all ages can get cancer after she battled it twice in the past few years.
Having battled cancer twice in the past few years has prompted Sarah Ferguson to become an awareness advocate for the devastating disease.
In fact, her experience of being diagnosed with b----- cancer in 2023 and skin cancer the following year led The Duchess of York, 65, to help launch the Teenage Cancer Trust’s campaign "#AndYoungPeople," which she spoke about in a new interview.
Sarah Ferguson admitted getting diagnosed with cancer felt 'like a death sentence.'
The mom-of-two admitted the diagnosis felt "like a death sentence" and likened it to a "bomb going off in my life."
"I was 63 when I was diagnosed with cancer for the first time and cancer at any age is traumatic. But as adults, we have maturity and life experience to help us advocate for ourselves and cope with challenges," Prince Andrew's ex-wife noted. "We can seek help if we need it, and most importantly, our voices are, sadly, often taken more seriously."
However, Ferguson said many teens "struggle alone with the dark thoughts" after getting the dreaded phone call from their doctor.
The mom-of-two helped launch the Teenage Cancer Trust’s campaign '#AndYoungPeople.'
The campaign launched on Wednesday, April 23, with an open letter asking for teenagers to be included in the National Cancer Plan for England, which offers increased access to clinical trials and faster medical tests and results.
That same day, Sarah and her two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, visited a facility supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust.
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Ferguson and her two daughters visited a medical facility to help launch the campaign.
The ex-royal previously revealed in an interview that she almost skipped the doctor appointment that led to the discovery.
"It was only when I mentioned this by chance to my sister Jane, who had called me from her home in Australia, that she went into bossy older sibling mode and insisted I went. That check-up, and the treatment I underwent, saved my life," she told The Sun.
"I'm living proof of the importance of never skipping screening appointments and always getting symptoms checked out promptly," the podcast host said.
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew were married from 1986 to 1996.
Fergie wound up undergoing a single mastectomy, which she followed up with reconstructive surgery.
She's not the only member of the extended British royal family to struggle with cancer, as Kate Middleton also battled the disease, revealing in January that she was in remission.
"It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead," the Princess of Wales, 43, wrote on social media. "There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support. C."
In addition, King Charles' cancer diagnosis was announced in February 2024, though the monarch, 76, is still undergoing treatment.
The Times spoke with Ferguson.
