STRICTLY professional Amy Dowden has revealed cancer has been found elsewhere in her body after undergoing a mastectomy last month.
Welsh Amy, 32, who joined the BBC show in 2017 as a ballroom and Latin dancer, first announced she had stage three breast cancer in May.
Strictly star Amy Dowden has shared a devastating update with fans after announcing she has cancer
The dancer shared her news on Instagram on Friday night
On Friday she took part in an Instagram Live chat with cancer charity CoppaFeel! and shared her heartbreaking update.
She said doctors had found more tumours when she went for an MRI scan and another type of cancer, with her latest news meaning she will now undergo chemotherapy.
Amy 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.
“I was really scared and I didn’t want to do chemo but then seeing someone like yourself (Erin) 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.”
Amy had hoped she would be well enough to compete on Strictly later this year.
She continued: “This year it means I’m not going to be able to dance with a celebrity on Strictly but I’m in such regular contact with the team. The BBC have just been utterly incredible.
“We are just one big family and they’re going to be guided by me and there’s so many ways to be involved in the show.
‘”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 added: “So I have struggled in accepting that I’ve gotta have chemo and what comes with it – the hair loss and everything else – but I’m determined to continue in a healthy way as much as I can.”
The brave star thanked her followers on her Instagram Stories after she revealed her latest news.
She wrote: “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!
“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 and promise to live life to the full!”
Already a campaigner for Crohn’s Disease, Amy, who is married to fellow dancer Ben Jones, earlier revealed she hoped to raise cancer awareness.
In May, she said: “If I can try and turn this negative into a positive, it’s going to help me get through this.”
Amy hopes to still take part in Strictly in some way but won’t be partnered with a celebrity this year
She joined the BBC show in 2017
