On Heels of One Diagnosis, Another for Duchess of York

Weeks after she announced she'd beaten breast cancer, Sarah Ferguson is revealing a new diagnosis of skin cancer. "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 64-year-old says in a statement cited by People. During reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy, the duchess had some moles removed, and a dermatologist identified one of them as cancerous, the rep says. Sources tell the BBC that the duchess spent time recuperating at a medical health resort in Austria before returning to London, where she is reportedly under treatment.

The rep says that while a second cancer diagnosis, especially coming on the heels of the first one, is "distressing," Ferguson "remains in good spirits" and her medical team is investigating to confirm the skin cancer was caught in its early stages. "The Duchess wants to thank the entire medical team which has supported her, particularly her dermatologist whose vigilance ensured the illness was detected when it was," the representative says. "She believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, color and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma." (More Sarah Ferguson stories.)