Sarah Ferguson thanks fan for ‘cherished’ support amid her cancer battle on customised card featuring the late Queen’s corgis

By William On Apr 15, 2024

Sarah Ferguson thanked a fan for their ‘cherished’ support in a heartwarming handwritten note – after receiving a letter from a fan following her cancer diagnosis.

The Duchess of York, 64, replied to the message of support with an adorable illustrated card showing corgis wearing crowns, dog collars and beds, as well as bones and tennis balls.

It also included a photo of Prince Andrew’s ex-wife lying in the grass with the late Queen Elizabeth’s royal pups – which she cared for.

Instagram account @theroyalmailboxwho shares their correspondence with royals and socialites, posted a photo of the exchange.

“I received this lovely response from Sarah, Duchess of York, regarding her cancer diagnosis,” the caption read. ‘This card is double-sided.’

The card featured a photo of Prince Andrew’s ex-wife lying in the grass with the late Queen Elizabeth’s royal pups – which she cared for

The card was sent on February 3 and the poster received a response on April 11.

The sweet message comes as the royal family has been dealing with health problems, with Sarah, King Charles III and the Princess of Wales all undergoing cancer treatment.

In January, the Duchess revealed that she was diagnosed with skin cancer just months after having a mastectomy for breast cancer.

Last month, the mother of Princess Beatrice and Eugenie said she was “full of admiration” for Kate Middleton for revealing her diagnosis.

Taking to social media, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, known as Fergie, paid tribute to the mother-of-three, saying “everyone is praying for her.”

In a sincere way Instagram In a statement, the Duchess said: ‘All my thoughts and prayers are with the Princess of Wales as she begins her treatment.

“I know she will be surrounded by the love of her family and everyone is praying for the best outcome.

“As someone who has experienced her own battle with cancer in recent months, I am in awe of the way she has spoken publicly about her diagnosis.”

The Duchess of York, 64, replied to the message of support with an adorable illustrated note featuring corgis wearing crowns, dog collars and beds, as well as bones and tennis balls

Instagram account @theroyalmailbox, which shares their correspondence with royals and socialites, posted a photo of the exchange

Sarah herself was diagnosed with skin cancer just a few months after a mastectomy for breast cancer.

Speaking about Kate’s decision to reveal her own diagnosis, the Duchess added: I know it will do a huge amount of good to raise awareness.’

She concluded the message by saying, “I hope she now gets the time, space and privacy to heal.”

Fergie revealed her shock skin cancer diagnosis in January. The mother of two children had a number of moles removed during breast reconstruction last year, one of which turned out to be malignant.

The Duchess was described as being in ‘good spirits’ following the ‘disturbing’ news, which she was told just days after Christmas.

Sarah herself was diagnosed with skin cancer just a few months after a mastectomy for breast cancer. Pictured last month

What is malignant melanoma?

Malignant melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that starts in melanocytes, cells in the top layer of the skin that produce melanin, which gives the skin its color.

Although it is less common than other types of skin cancer, it is more dangerous because it can spread more quickly to other organs if not treated early.

Symptoms

A new mole or a change in an existing mole can be signs of melanoma.

Melanomas can occur anywhere on your body, but are more common in areas that are frequently exposed to the sun.

Some rarer types can affect the eyes, soles of the feet, palms of the hands, or genitals.

Check your skin for unusual changes. Use a mirror or ask a partner or friend to check areas you can’t see.

In particular, look for:

Birthmarks with an uneven shape or edges
Moles with a mix of colors
Large moles – melanomas are often more than 6 mm wide
Birthmarks that change size, shape or color over time

Causes

Ultraviolet (UV) light is the most common cause of melanoma. It comes from the sun and is used in tanning beds.

Melanoma is more common in older people, but younger people can also get it.

You are also more likely to develop melanoma if you:

Pale skin that burns easily in the sun
Red or blond hair
Blue or green eyes
A large number of freckles or moles
Have had a lot of sun exposure and have been burned many times in the past
Lots of use of sunbeds
A history of skin cancer in your family or you have previously had skin cancer

If you have black or brown skin, you are less likely to get melanoma, but you can still get it.

Prevention

Staying safe in the sun is the best way to reduce the risk of skin cancer (both melanoma and non-melanoma).

Do the following:

Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm in Britain)
Keep your arms and legs covered and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that protect against ultraviolet (UV) rays
Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and at least 4-star UVA protection – make sure you reapply regularly
Make sure babies and children are protected from the sun; their skin is much more sensitive than the skin of adults

Therapy

Melanoma skin cancer can often be treated. The treatment you receive depends on where the disease is located, whether the disease has spread, and your general health.

Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma. Sometimes radiotherapy, medications and chemotherapy are also used.

Surgery may involve removing the melanoma and an area of healthy skin around it, swollen lymph nodes if the cancer has spread to them, and other parts of the body if the cancer has spread to them.

If a large portion of skin needs to be removed, a skin graft may be necessary, where relatives can be taken from another part of the body to cover the area where the melanoma was.

Radiation therapy is sometimes used to reduce the size of large melanomas and to control and relieve symptoms.

Targeted medications and immotherapy are used to treat melanomas that cannot be treated surgically or that have spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Chemotherapy, which kills cancer cells, is sometimes used to treat advanced melanoma when it has spread to another part of the body. It doesn’t work as well as other treatments, but can be used if you can’t get it.

How dangerous is it?

General for people with melanoma in England:

almost all people (nearly 100%) survive their melanoma for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed
about 90 in 100 people (about 90%) will survive their melanoma for 5 years or more after diagnosis
more than 85 in 100 people (more than 85%) will survive their melanoma for 10 years or more after they are diagnosed

Sources: NHS, the Skin Cancer Foundation and Cancer Research UK

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that can spread to other parts of the body, mainly caused by exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or tanning beds.

People with fairer skin, a large number of moles and a family history of skin cancer are usually at greater risk of developing this.

Friends said at the time that Fergie is the ‘most resilient’ person they know and that she was already planning to resume her television career soon to encourage others to get themselves examined.

Friends said at the time that Fergie is the “most resilient” person they know. Pictured with her daughters in November

Sarah, King Charles III (right) and the Princess of Wales (left) are all undergoing cancer treatment

A friend told the Mail that the Duchess had been informed she needed ‘further investigation’ to ensure the case was caught at an early stage.

“Everyone hopes this is the case and the doctors hope they catch it early, but the melanoma is aggressive and they need to check everything again,” they said.

They added of Sarah: ‘She’s very resilient and she bounces back from things quite quickly, but two cancer diagnoses in six months, especially when she thought she was just getting over breast cancer, is a lot for anyone to deal with and to process. .

“You hope you beat it and then get something like this.

‘That’s why she wanted to go to Austria for a few weeks to sort everything out. She is now back home and the family has been very supportive.”

They also praised “her girls” – Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie – who they said had “been fantastic over the past six months.”

‘They have been absolutely brilliant with her breast cancer diagnosis. And they are already rallying behind her,” they said.