Strictly dancer Amy Dowden says she will not be able to perform in the competition this year.
Image source, Getty ImagesAt a glance
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Strictly’s Amy Dowden was diagnosed with grade three cancer in May
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After a mastectomy, she was told the tumours had spread and another type of cancer was discovered
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The 32-year-old dancer will have chemotherapy, which doctors say may cure her
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She says she will be unable to dance in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing but will be involved in the show in other ways
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2 hours ago
Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden has revealed she has been given a second cancer diagnosis.
The 32-year-old dancer announced she had grade three cancer in May but was hopeful surgery would solve it.
However, doctors found “more tumours” and “another type of cancer”, she said.
It means Amy will not be dancing in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing competition.
Amy discovered the first lump in April, a day before she was due to fly on her honeymoon to the Maldives with husband Ben.
Appearing on Coppafeel’s, external Instagram chat with Erin Kennedy, Amy said: “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.
“After my mastectomy, unfortunately they found even more tumours. Then they found another type of cancer.”
Amy said she was told she needed chemotherapy, which made her “scared”.
“But the oncologist did say that with chemo I’ve got a really good chance of a cure,” she added.
However, Amy, from Caerphilly, said she did not want to have the treatment at first.
“For me, straightaway, it was my dancing, like, ‘you can take away my boob but you can’t take my dancing away from me’.
“That’s what I get really upset about.”
The diagnosis means Amy will not be able to compete on Strictly this year, but is “in regular contact with the team”.
“The BBC have just been utterly incredible,” she said.
Amy said she hoped to still be able to play some part in the show and her aim was “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 said she was allowed to start dancing on Thursday for the first time since her surgery in June.
She took to Instagram to share thank her supporters for their kind messages.
She wrote: “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!
“Welsh love always.”
Image source, Amy Dowden