Sarah Ferguson's foundation breaks silence with first Instagram post since Duchess of York's shock skin cancer diagnosis was revealed

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Sarah Ferguson's foundation has broken its silence after the Duchess was diagnosed with skin cancer just months after she was treated for breast cancer.

The UK-based non-profit took a 'business-as-usual' attitude and ran with it Instagram on the occasion of International Day of Education without mentioning Sarah's diagnosis.

The organization also shared a selection of inspiring images of the 64-year-old mother of two children, who had contact with children from all over the world during school visits.

It comes after the Duchess of York had a mole removed from her body, which has since been revealed to be malignant melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer.

The 64-year-old also underwent breast surgery for cancer last year, with insiders saying it was 'not an easy time' for her.

Sarah Ferguson's foundation has broken its silence after the Duchess was diagnosed with skin cancer just months after she was treated for breast cancer.

Nevertheless, the organization appeared to reflect Prince Andrew's ex-wife's desire to 'bounce back' and paid a moving tribute to the teachers for their 'hard work and dedication'.

The organization captioned the images and wrote: 'On the occasion of International Day of Education, we would like to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by all teachers who work tirelessly to educate and inspire the next generation.

'Over the past five years we have supported charities and community groups to enable them to teach vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

'From Ukrainian refugees living in Poland; to children living in poverty in Mozambique, Ghana, Venezuela and Liberia; for children who need extra support here in Britain.'

The message concluded: “We are passionate about closing the education gap so that no child is left behind.”

It comes after the Duchess was described as “in good spirits” following the “disturbing” news, which she was told just days after Christmas.

The author has spent the past few weeks in Austria recovering in a luxury clinic after spending time with the royal family at Sandringham over Christmas.

It is hoped that the cancer was found early enough that she will have no further problems, but will undergo further tests to determine if the disease has spread.

The British non-profit took a 'business-as-usual' stance and took to Instagram to celebrate International Day of Education without mentioning Sarah's diagnosis

The nonprofit shared a selection of Sarah's moving images at educational institutions around the world

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.

The news came days after a double royal health crisis, when it was revealed that King Charles III was preparing for a prostate procedure and the Princess of Wales had undergone a planned abdominal operation.

A spokesperson for Sarah, Duchess of York said: 'Following her diagnosis with an early form of breast cancer this summer, Sarah, Duchess of York has now been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.

'Her dermatologist requested that several moles be removed and analyzed at the same time that the Duchess underwent reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy, and one of these has been identified as cancerous.

'She is undergoing further investigation to ensure this is caught at an early stage.

'Obviously a new diagnosis so soon after breast cancer treatment was worrying, but the Duchess remains in good spirits.

'The Duchess would like to thank the entire medical team who supported her, especially her dermatologist, whose vigilance ensured that the disease was detected when it occurred.

'She believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, color and texture and the appearance of new moles that could be a sign of melanoma.'

The Duchess will be treated by Dr Andrew Furness, consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, and Catherine Borysiewicz, consultant dermatologist at the King Edward VII Hospital in London.

It says she is recovering at MAYRLIFE, a luxury clinic in Austria that has hosted the likes of Naomi Campbell, Karlie Kloss and Rebel Wilson in the past.

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