Amy Dowden of Strictly Come Dancing confessed she ‘wasn’t looking forward’ to her birthday, which she spent with her twin sister.
The professional dancer, who has starred on the BBC series since 2017, disclosed in May that she had breast cancer at the age of 32.
Amy discovered a lump in her breast while preparing for her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones, which turned out to be cancer.
She’s had a single mastectomy and started chemotherapy in the months since.
Amy celebrated her 33rd birthday this week, which she shared with her sister Becky.
Amy expressed her feelings on the event in an Instagram post, along with a photo shot with her sister.
‘Happy birthday to my beautiful, kind, talented twin! @becky_dowden 💖💖💖💖,’ she began.
‘Hope your day is as lovely as you and for sure next year we are making up for it! Love you bex and thank you for everything you always do for me.’
She continued: ‘I wasn’t looking forward to this birthday. At the moment any milestone or event is a bigger reminder and hurts.
‘I’m far from what I should and normally doing, in the rehearsal room with my strictly family.
‘But all your wishes this morning have certainly cheered me up.’
Amy then went on to share that her birthday wish this year was for ‘all to take the time to check themselves’.
Tagging cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!, she shared one of their information sheets about breast cancer.
‘[It] Doesn’t take long! That’s my birthday wish! Thank you so much again for all the love and support it really does help and mean so much to me,’ she added.
Amy also paid homage to her father on his birthday earlier this week, apologising for not being able to celebrate as planned.
Sharing a series of snaps with dad Richard, Amy wrote: ‘Everyone loves Dickie Dowd and all the fun, jokes but importantly loving family guy you are!’
She added that while she was ‘sorry it’s not the birthday planned’, there was ‘better times ahead and we will have even more to celebrate’.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to the BBC later this year.
