Southampton doctor featuring in Cancer Research advert diagnosed with early skin cancer

• WATCH ITV News Meridian's Andrew Pate speaking to Dr Hugo De Le Pena.

A cancer consultant, seen by millions on TV giving the all-clear to a patient, has himself been diagnosed with early skin cancer.

Dr Hugo De Le Pena is an oncologist in Southampton and can be seen in the current Cancer Research UK advert.

Although he's now having to treat himself, he's not letting the diagnosis get in the way of his training for next month's London Marathon.

He says the thought of his patients will spur him on.

Korrie Weir's life was saved thanks to the clinical trial she went on and the knowledge and support of Dr De Le Pena.

Two years ago, she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.

Ms Weir said: "You look up the internet and you have all these thoughts in your head.

"Loads of people with triple-negative die when you follow their story and you think I'm going to die in my thirties.

"But as soon as I saw Dr Hugo he explained everything, how the treatment was and knowing that it is curable and what I was facing made it so much better."

Dr Hugo said: "My son is eight-years-old and he said isn't it ironic daddy that you are a cancer consultant and you have cancer?

"I said there's nothing ironic about that, it's just that no one is exempt.

"We're all in the same boat. I'm a cancer consultant but that doesn't mean I can't get cancer.

"I always said that I am a cancer consultant because of things that happened to me in the past, I said if anything happens to me or my family I need to know what to do."

The doctor from Alton is now going even further to help his patients as he's planning to run the London Marathon next month to raise money for Cancer Research UK and to fund further clinical trials.

He said: "That's how we get these wonder drugs or what I call cancer kryptonite.

"You only get those with clinical trials but once you split the pot into 200 types of cancer the money runs out and every single cancer has to have clinical trials."

Thankfully the chemo cream has been a success and Dr Hugo's cancer has "melted away." It means he's 100% fit and ready and raring for the London Marathon on April 23rd.