Amy Dowden has revealed she suffered another cancer scare which put her return to Strictly in jeopardy.
The 34-year-old dancer had to be rushed to hospital for further tests as doctors were concerned about abnormalities in her breast following a check-up.
Speaking on Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, which documents her battle with cancer, Amy explained: ‘It was a scare, a very worrying time.
“I will never forget when they called me to tell me they were sorry but that they had seen something they didn’t like.
“I couldn’t believe it, I thought I couldn’t go through this again, I couldn’t miss Strictly again. My whole family was devastated.”
Amy was first diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May last year and two months later doctors detected a different type of cancer.
Amy Dowden has revealed she suffered another cancer scare which put her return to Strictly in jeopardy
Amy Dowden has demanded action after cruel trolls branded her a “narcissist and attention seeker” amid her gruelling battle with breast cancer last year.
The Strictly dancer’s world came crashing down when she was diagnosed with cancer the day after returning home from her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones in 2023.
In what became the most difficult year of her life, Amy, 34, underwent a mastectomy.chemotherapy, fertility treatment and also almost died of sepsis.
And now the star is calling for action to crack down on online trolls who accused her of being “narcissistic and attention-seeking” during tough times.
Speaking in his upcoming BBC documentary in clips obtained by The mirror, Amy confessed: “Sometimes I would wake up at 2am and I couldn’t sleep because the steroids wouldn’t let me sleep. I was really unwell and getting those messages was heartbreaking. I feel like no one talks about it.”
Amy is demanding that the most extreme trolls face criminal sentences as she reveals she understands how teenagers take their own lives due to online bullying.
She added: “When someone harasses someone online and takes their own life, it’s like murder. Is there any punishment to stop them from doing it? It’s horrible.”
‘They said I was a narcissist and attention-seeker. I was told, “I’m not even at stage 4.” I was told I should just hide away and get on with my life on my own and asked why I felt the need to dance in my garden if I had shaved my head.
After shaving her head and inspiring others after appearing on Strictly without a wig, Amy admitted she also received mean and nasty comments.
And while she received support from her parents, husband Ben and her Strictly family, the star also admitted that even some of her friends who attended her wedding lost touch following her diagnosis, which was just months after she and her husband tied the knot.
Amy’s next BBC documentary will air on Monday 26th August and will follow Amy through her incredibly difficult year.
The dancer is currently preparing for the next series of Strictly after being forced to take a break from the show last year.
Amy has revealed that the thought of losing her job on the BBC dance show was her biggest fear.
‘They said I was a narcissist and attention-seeker. They told me, ‘I’m not even at stage 4.’ They said I should hide away and get on on my own and asked why I felt the need to dance in my garden if I’d shaved my head.’
Amy has revealed that the thought of losing her job on the BBC dance show was her biggest fear: “I was devastated. It left me with nothing for Strictly. I was devastated because I wanted to be on the dance floor.”
The Strictly dancer’s world came crashing down when she was diagnosed with cancer the day after returning home from her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones in 2023 (pictured together)
In clips obtained by The sun Amy revealed: ‘When I had to tell Strictly, I was like, ‘Can I keep my job?’ because that was the scariest thing.
“To dance at the highest level, you have to be fit like an athlete. I was afraid of how the treatment would affect my body.”
Speaking about how the treatment destroyed her, she added: “I felt devastated. It completely destroyed me for Strictly. I was heartbroken because I wanted to be on the dance floor.”
Amy previously said of the documentary: ‘A year ago I was newly married and was about to go on my honeymoon, it was an exciting new chapter in my life but finding a lump in my breast changed my life.
‘I never thought I would have cancer at my age and, despite having family and friends who had survived cancer, I had no idea the impact this would have on my life.
“I learned a lot about myself and what a cancer diagnosis means on this journey. I hope that other people find hope and strength in this film, and that it encourages everyone to get checked, no matter how old they are.”
After news of her comeback was revealed earlier this month, Amy took to Instagram to share her joy at getting back to doing what she loves. The news came just two days after she marked one year since her first surgery following her diagnosis.
After news of her comeback was revealed earlier this month, Amy took to Instagram to share her joy at being back doing what she loves. The news came just two days after the one-year anniversary of her first surgery following her diagnosis.
“I’m so happy and grateful to be back at @bbcstrictly. MY HEART IS SO HAPPY,” she said. “The best team on and off the dance floor.”
She added: ‘I can’t wait to get back to doing what I love most in the world – dancing! I feel blessed and more excited than EVER. Keep it up! Thank you @bbcstrcitly for always supporting me. Eeeeeekkk #amysback.’
The dancer’s colleagues were quick to share their joy at the news of her return.
” I’m so happy you wear what you belong in ,” wrote Dianne Buswell, while Graziano Di Prima said: “yeah.”
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, affecting more than two MILLION women each year.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. In the UK, there are more than 55,000 new cases each year and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it affects 266,000 women each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancer cell that develops in the lining of a duct or lobule of one of the breasts.
When breast cancer has spread to surrounding tissue, it is called “invasive.” Some people are diagnosed with “carcinoma in situ,” in which no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases develop in people over 50, but sometimes younger women are also affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, although this is rare.
Staging tells you how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage, and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
Cancer cells are classified from low grade, meaning slow growth, to high grade, meaning fast growth. High grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have been treated for the first time.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumor originates from an abnormal cell. It is not known for certain why a cell becomes cancerous. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This causes the cell to become abnormal and multiply “out of control.”
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the likelihood, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The first common symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place that breast cancer usually spreads is to the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this happens, a swelling or lump will form in the armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial evaluation: Your doctor examines your breasts and armpits. You may have tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of breast tissue that can indicate the possibility of tumors.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess whether it has spread. These may include blood tests, an ultrasound of your liver or a chest X-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments is used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumor.
- Radiation therapy: Treatment that uses high-energy rays aimed at cancer tissue. This kills cancer cells or stops them from dividing. It is mainly used together with surgery.
- Chemotherapy: Treatment of cancer using anticancer drugs that kill cancer cells or stop them from dividing.
- Hormonal treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the “female” hormone called estrogen, which can stimulate cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that reduce the level of these hormones or prevent their action are commonly used in patients with breast cancer.
How successful is the treatment?
The prognosis is better for patients who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumor at an early stage may offer a good chance of cure.
Routine mammography offered to women aged 50 to 71 means more breast cancers are diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information, visit breastcancernow.org or call their toll-free helpline at 0808 800 6000
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