Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has shared the news that she has breast cancer. The dancer has shared her personal news, which she only received last week, in the hopes to raise awareness of the disease and help others going through their own diagnoses.
Amy, who has battled the chronic gut condition Crohn's Disease since she was a child, told Hello! magazine: "I've been through quite a lot in my life and this is another hurdle."
Sharing her exclusive interview with the publication, Welsh-born Amy posted on Instagram on Wednesday (May 24): "Hey all, I've got some news which isn't easy to share. I've recently been diagnosed with breast cancer." She added: "But I'm determined to get back on that dance floor before you know it."
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And she was quickly flooded with support from her fans and followers. @laurenholder_ said: "Oh my goodness Amy, sending you all my love and strength for you to get back on the dance floor." @helen_j_andrew shared: "Oh my goodness! That’s a shock! You will beat this! Sending you lots of love & positive thoughts!"
@hannacharlotte24 replied: "Wishing a very speedy recovery. Sending lots of love and hugs." @andy_p81 commented: "Sending love and positive thoughts, wishing you all the best." @clarelouisex78 shared: "Sending positive thoughts and love, you’ve got this." @little_miss_lauren added: "Sending you lots of love."
Speaking to Hello, Amy shared how it was her experience of doing the CoppaTrek! with Gi – the fundraising 100km walk led by Giovanna Fletcher, the wife of her former dance partner Tom Fletcher, in support of breast health awareness charity CoppaFeel! – last June that ultimately led her to discover her own breast cancer.
"You just don't ever think it's going to happen to you," she said. "I hadn't thought it was possible to get breast cancer at my age. My mum has had breast cancer, but she had it at a later age, in her 50s."
Amy went on to share: "This last year, obviously, I made a conscious effort to check my breasts. CoppaFeel! has now potentially saved my life, because I don't know how long this lump could have been there before I would have noticed and done something about it. So me speaking out might end up saving some other people's lives because they start checking their breasts."
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