Physical Address

304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124

Amy Dowden Reveals Cancer Detail That Made Her Cry the Most

Amy Dowden has opened up about the detail she “cried most over” after being diagnosed with cancer.

The 34-year-old “Strictly Come Dancing” professional discovered she had the disease in May 2023 after finding a lump in her breast. She has kept her fans updated on her journey as she recovered from stage three breast cancer and got the all-clear in February this year.

Dowden, who is returning to the BBC dancefloor next month, is releasing a new memoir where she goes into detail about her chemo sessions, mastectomy, and a life-threatening sepsis battle.

In the book, titled “Dancing in the Rain,” the pro revealed that she cried the most tears over losing her hair.

“My life away from ‘Strictly’ was distinctly unglamorous,” she said in an excerpt obtained by MailOnline. “With each new chemo session, the next challenge was growing more and more obvious. Before I could say goodbye to cancer, I would have to say goodbye to my hair. And I think I cried more over that than anything else.

“I would have to trim it, clip it, and finally shave it completely – and then face the terrifying decision to appear on national TV with a fuzzy bald head.”

In September 2023, Dowden said she decided to “take control” and shave her head as she was “crying every day” due to her hair falling out from chemotherapy treatment.

She shared a video of her loved ones shaving her hair, describing it as “the hardest step so far.”

But afterward, Dowden could be seen admiring the results in the mirror and wrote in the caption: “This too shall pass. I tried my best to save it. I know it’s only hair, but these past few months I’ve had what feels like so much taken away from me that has made me not feel like Amy.

“I’m missing every possible aspect of dancing. I just wanted to keep my identity with my hair and I tried telling myself it wouldn’t go. But I would dread the pain of waking up to the shredding every day.”

One month later, the dancer, who was forced to withdraw from last year’s “Strictly” due to her illness, decided to ditch her wig and “brave the bald” just moments before her surprise appearance on an episode.

Dowden was widely praised for the decision by viewers, with the show’s co-host Claudia Winkleman telling her: “We’re so excited that [you’re] well enough to be here.”

The pro has been a part of the BBC series since 2017.

Source: MailOnline