Estate agent Nick Lees (main image) was not unduly concerned when he first noticed a small mark on his chest but, inspired by stories about the King and his cancer, he decided to get them checked out.

It was just as well, as it was in fact a rare type of the disease – dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

According to the Halstead Gazette, Lees told the PA news agency: “I had a mark that had been on my chest for a while. It appeared, and it wasn’t causing me any discomfort, so I got used to it.

“I kind of assumed that it was because I played golf regularly, I carry a golf bag, and the strapping and sort of caused this sort of marking.

King’s cancer

“But around the time King Charles was having his cancer treatments, there was a lot of coverage about it.

“I thought: ‘Oh, OK, I better go to the doctors. So, went to the GP, she didn’t think it was anything, but said to get it checked out.

“So, I went to see this dermatologist, and they did a biopsy, and then they called me back in and said: ‘Look, unfortunately, it’s revealed you’ve got this sort of rare form of skin cancer.’

“I was pretty taken aback, that was last thing I was expecting her to say.”

“I was pretty taken aback, that was last thing I was expecting her to say.”

He was subsequently referred to The Royal Marsden, where he was fortunate enough to receive the world’s first robotic open microsurgery.

The pioneering Symani system that carried out the surgery perfectly mimics human hand movements but eliminates even the smallest tremors, so connections are much more precise and much more accurate.

Lees said: “Obviously, when the surgeon first mentioned it, I was not too sure, but then I went away and thought about it and just felt that I’m in safe hands.

“I also felt that I could do something that might help them, and also then others that come after.”

The surgery was a success – Lees was able to return to work just weeks afterwards and has now been given the all-clear.