Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has opened up about a moment she was left in "floods of tears" during her breast cancer battle. The 35-year-old was diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer in 2023 after finding a lump before her honeymoon. She underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy, and later discovered a second type of cancer, requiring more treatment.
Further Tests Brought Trauma
Reflecting on her journey, Amy admitted she was "traumatised" when tests indicated further investigation was needed. "Obviously I got all of my treatment, I just wanted to get my life back and I wanted to get my career back on the go and then when I went for my tests and it came back as 'We want to investigate further', I was just traumatised," she recalled.
She had been regularly checking her breasts and staying vigilant, but the news hit hard. "I was just like, 'I can't go through everything that I have already been through again' and my mum has had breast cancer," she said.
Comfort from Kimberley Walsh
After learning she needed a biopsy, Amy attended a Girls Aloud concert where the band paid tribute to Sarah Harding, who died from breast cancer in 2021. During the tribute, Kimberley Walsh noticed Amy crying in the audience and comforted her backstage.
"I remember Kimberley looking down on me, literally on stage, and she could see I was in floods of tears," Amy said. "She was like, 'Are you okay? I know that was hard' And I was like, 'Ah, just something has happened today' and it was just constantly in the back of my mind."
Career and Family Fears
Amy also spoke about the short-lived nature of a dancer's career, comparing it to professional athletes. "You can go on for as long as you can but it's short lived," she said on the Breast Cancer Uncovered podcast. "And I already felt I had been robbed for so long, but also we had learned about some more family history and that scared me. I want to be a mum and I had hormone-fed cancer, so that was in the back of my mind."
By February 2024, there was no evidence of disease, and she later had a preventative mastectomy on her left breast, stressing it was not a new diagnosis but a precautionary measure. Amy recently admitted she still suffers from treatment symptoms but is in a better place and preparing for this year's Strictly. She continues her journey on Celebrity Hunted with Carlos Gu, airing tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.
