Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson Named Patron of Breast Cancer Charity

Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson has just announced her new patronage.

“Today I’m honored to be joining a wonderful charity, Prevent Breast Cancer, as patron, and will be doing all thatI can to help spread the word about the importance of early detection,” Ferguson, 64, posted via Instagram on Wednesday, October 9, along with a photo of the Duchess of York making an appearance at a Manchester, U.K. hospital.

“@preventbreastcancer uses science to save lives and is the UK’s only charity dedicated to the prediction and prevention of breast cancer,” she continued in the post’s caption.

Ferguson — who was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2023 and then skin cancer earlier this year — went on to write that it’s “difficult when you’re told that you have cancer, not to let your mind go to the darkest places.”

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“You can’t help thinking that it’s a death sentence, and the dread of what lies ahead and how you are going to share the news with your family can be overwhelming,” she explained. “Something that in the last year I’ve had to face twice, when a routine mammogram detected breast cancer, that I underwent treatment for that saved my life proving the importance of never skipping screening appointments, before being diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer.”

In May, Ferguson’s daughter Princess Beatrice gave a rare update on her mom’s health, telling U.K.’s This Morning that the Duchess of York is a “phenomenal icon.” (Ferguson also shares daughter Princess Eugenie with ex-husband and embattled royal, Prince Andrew.)

“As a mum’s she’s been amazing, she’s been through so much and her sense of purpose and resilience really keeps me going,” the proud daughter said at the time, before noting that her mom is “all in the clear.”

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While the Duchess of York pointed out in the recent Instagram post that her “treatment has been successful” and “tests show there has been no spread or recurrence,” she knows that she’s “not out of the woods and will have to have checks for the rest of my life.”

Her experience with breast and skin cancer helped Ferguson better understand “the importance of the message” the charity Prevent Breast Cancer is spreading, she added.

“It was early detection that saved my life,” she said, “and I’m now more determined than ever to help raise awareness on that.”

According to the same Instagram post, Ferguson visited The Nightingale Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester on Wednesday, October 8, where she says there will be a “new National Breast Imaging Academy.” During the visit, the Duchess of York says she visited with “a number of patients who, without the staff, research, and technologies that helped diagnose their breast cancers, wouldn’t be here today to tell their stories.”