I was lucky to beat cancer after disease killed my parents – but my brother has now been diagnosed too, says Jeremy Hunt

JEREMY Hunt has opened up about how lucky he feels to have beaten cancer after it killed his parents.

The Chancellor, 56, revealed last year that he had been secretly fighting the disease behind closed doors.

He had already been cleared of the disease, but has now shared the tragic details of the illness that's ravaged his family as his brother has also been diagnosed.

The Chancellor said that he was told he had a form of skin cancer after finding a mole on his head that just "grew and grew".

The 56-year-old told : "I was a cabinet minister at the time, not in my current job, but it was obviously the first time that the ‘C word’ had been used in terms of my own health so that makes you sit up.

"But I was blessed. It was not a life-threatening cancer and it was caught relatively early.

"I am very aware of members of my own family who have had much tougher battles against cancer, and I know that’s what families are going through up and down the country.

"My brother is doing OK, but like many families who have cancer, it is a life-changing thing."

Cancer killed both his father, Royal Navy admiral Sir Nicholas Hunt, in 2013 at the age of 82, and his mother, Lady Meriel, who died last year, aged 84.

Brother Charlie, 53, was diagnosed with sarcoma almost three years ago.

It is a rare, aggressive form of cancer and it typically begins in the bones or soft tissue.

Charlie recalled when he had surgery on his right leg - and didn't know if he'd ever be able to walk again.

He continued: "Since then the battle has continued with surgery on both of my lungs.

"I have been in and out of hospital pretty constantly but have received excellent treatment from the NHS and am still fighting on nearly three years later.

"It does, however, remain a huge battle for me and my family.

"I asked Jeremy to run the marathon for the first time with me – an offer that was nervously accepted."

Last year the Chancellor took part in a five-kilometre charity race - wearing pink to represent Cancer Research UK.

At the time Mr Hunt said: “I have had a minor one myself which has fortunately been resolved.

“So it’s touched my family very dramatically.

“There are lot of things we can do to improve our cancer survival rates.

“The more we do to raise money and awareness, the more lives we’ll save.”