Amy Dowden of Strictly Come Dancing has offered a heartbreaking update following her breast cancer diagnosis.
The 32-year-old ballroom pro originally announced her condition in May, explaining that she was undergoing therapy.
Amy has been diagnosed with “another type of cancer.”
Amy revealed in an Instagram Live with CoppaFeel! that doctors discovered additional tumours following an MRI.
The actress has subsequently undergone a mastectomy and has been informed that she will require chemotherapy.
This means she won’t be matched with a celebrity this season on Strictly.
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She said: ‘For me, my journey everything changed. I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy, and hormone treatment. But then, after my MRI, they found another tumour so then it changed into a mastectomy and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumours.
‘And my pathology wasn’t what they were expecting. And they found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a massive blow. It wasn’t in the plan, originally – and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on.
‘So all of a sudden then, I realised. And you get scared. But the oncologist did say that with chemo I’ve got a really good chance of a cure.’
She added to breast cancer survivor and Paralympian Erin Kennedy: ‘I was really scared and I didn’t want to do chemo, but then seeing someone like yourself who’s carried on and for me straightaway it was my dancing, like, you can take away my boob but you can’t take my dancing away from me and that’s what I get really upset about.’
On what this news means for her Strictly future, Amy said she’s in ‘such regular contact with the team’.
She praised the BBC for being ‘utterly incredible’ and hailed them ‘one big family’.
‘They’re going to be guided by me and there’s so many ways to be involved in the show,’ she assured.
‘I’m just staying really positive and hopeful that I’m still going to be part of the show in some way and my aim is to continue dancing – the oncologist said to me movement is really, really good for people on chemo, it’s important. So that was encouraging.’
Amy was then showered with love and support from her followers, prompting her to post a message that read: ‘Just want to thank everyone for their love and support.
‘I’ll tackle this next step the best I can and very blessed to have the love and support of my family and friends along with you guys. Thank you!’
She concluded: ‘The rest of the year looked very different to what was planned but hopefully I’ll enter 2024 cancer-free and I’ll never take anything for granted promise to live life to the full!’
‘Welsh love always’, she signed off.
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
