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Amy Dowden has shared a major cancer update ahead of her second mastectomy – claiming that ‘the universe is trying to tell me something’ after months of worrying over her scan results.
The Strictly star, 35, has undergone chemotherapy, fertility treatment and a mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023.
Last month she revealed that she was preparing for her second mastectomy, and has since then been sharing updates on her social media.
A segment during Monday’s instalment of ITV‘s Lorraine saw Amy allow cameras into her life and follow the lead up to her second surgery.
Amy explained to the camera: ‘It was two years ago since I finished my active chemotherapy, in the following year, unfortunately with my mammogram, it picked up specs on my other breast.
‘Although they came back as pre-cancerous cells and specs, it’s still always been in the back of my mind.
‘I think something else that has always worried me is we knew I had a tumour in my right breast and we knew I had ductile cancer, but when they went into operate, they found two other tumours.
‘For me, making the decision to take away my left breast, this is preventative, I’m young, I want children.
‘I would do anything to have my old life back and not be going through this.
‘I certainly don’t want to have surgery again, but what I do know is I can’t go through another cancer diagnosis right now.’
She continued: ‘Right now is the right time. I have been eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing and I do feel like the universe is telling me something.
‘You know what, going to bed every night with piece of mind, I think will mean more than anything to me.’
After visiting her surgeon it was confirmed that she was going to have a left mastectomy and reconstruction.
Just before going to theatre, Amy told the camera: ‘It’s the morning of my surgery, I just want to get it done now.
‘I feel quite anxious, my stomach is in knots.
‘People say to me “Oh you are so strong, you’re so brave”, well you have no choice, do you?
‘I ultimately right now am making the right decision for me.’
After coming out of surgery, Doctor Naren Basu told the camera: ‘She’s been in recovery.
‘She’s now got through the initial phase of the surgery and everything went as planned.’
The upcoming segment, which is yet to air on Lorraine, will show Amy’s recovery as she catches up with friends and shares her dreams of dancing in the upcoming Strictly final.
It comes after Amy shared a poignant selfie two years on from her cancer battle as she reflected on the fears she would have to ‘hang up my dancing shoes for good’.
In a post shared on Sunday night, the star showed a heartbreaking image from two years previously showing her in a hospital bed having lost her hair and displaying a canula in her hand, while an accompanying image showed her as a picture of health.
Her heartbreaking caption detailed how she felt she would ‘never get the old Amy back’ and that she was sure cancer ‘taken away her dancing shoes’, yet paid tribute to her husband Ben and co-star Carlos Gu for helping her recover.
Alongside the duo of images, Amy wrote: ‘EXACTLY two years apart THIS WEEKEND. When I see memories like this it makes me so very proud…
‘The bottom picture was after I was rushed into hospital via ambulance very poorly. I didn’t know at the time but I had another blood clot on the lung but also all the sides effects of 8 rounds of gruelling chemotherapy…
‘I still remember now as I entered the ambulance I turned to [my husband] Ben and my dear friend and said cancer has taken me, I’ll never be the same again, ill never dance again ( i was at at the lowest point I’d ever been)…
‘My foot also broken and I couldn’t see how I could ever get the old Amy back. Pic 2 two years later exactly, after a year of two dancing tours, strictly and fabulous opportunities but most importantly three weeks after another mastectomy…
‘It didn’t come easy, after a year of real hard work but it got me feeling like me again. I’m posting this to show it’s POSSIBLE. Yes it’s been hard but I DID IT…
‘I wish I rewarded myself more along the way. But gosh am I so proud of how far I’ve had to dig deep, especially in the past 12 months…
‘A year ago I thought cancer took my dancing, I told myself I needed to hang my dancing shoes up but my darling husband Ben and [fellow Strictly star] Carlos Gu proved and made sure it didn’t…
‘Tonight I raise a glass to the past year, working hard, allowing my passion of dance to save me along with my incredible medical team, family and friends. Thank you I love you all endlessly. Cancer you didn’t take and will not take who I am!’
Last month, Amy shared a health update as she marked two weeks since having a second mastectomy. She shared a ‘post surgery’ selfie wearing a compression bra and brown checked trousers.
She gushed she is ‘proud of how far’ she’s come post-surgery and is ‘focusing on little things’ every day and ‘celebrating the small wins’.
Amy wrote: ‘This picture I took the day I come out of hospital, post surgery! Tomorrow marks two weeks since my surgery, and I’m feeling proud with how far I’ve come…
‘Focusing on the little things, I’m seeing gradual improvements in my movement and being able to do more each day. I have been taking it slow, listening to my body, being kind with myself, and celebrating the small wins.
‘But this week I’ve really seen a difference and feeling so like me again. Please remember to check yourself’.
Elsewhere Amy took to her Instagram Stories to share a candid video discussing her recovery as she explained she is ‘starting to feel like me again‘.
She said: ‘I am doing so much better thank you, since the weekend I’ve started to feel like me again, my energy and movement is back, its not so tender and the bruising has gone down. I’m looking forward to doing physio and getting some more movement.
‘Every patient is different so only do what your doctor recommendations. I went to see mine a week after my surgery and I had my dressings removed and its really swollen but I had a look and I’m really happy with it and now its all about recovery and getting back on the dance floor when I’m feeling better.’
The dancer explained how she has been shopping as she is currently unable to wear her ‘lovely dresses’ due to them being ‘uncomfortable’ or her impression bra showing’.
‘I can’t wear low tops and I’ve got to wear impression bras and getting a jumper on is hard and in the grand scheme of things its not a problem’, she explained.
Amy has been a professional dancer on Strictly since 2017.
Lorraine airs weekdays from 9am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
