Amy Dowden branded an 'inspiration' after sharing breast cancer journey

Amy Dowden's supporters were touched and described her as a "source of inspiration" on Monday night after she bravely recounted her battle with breast cancer in her impactful BBC documentary, Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me. The 34-year-old Strictly Come Dancing celebrity received a stage three breast cancer diagnosis in May 2023. Throughout the toughest year she has faced, Amy underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility treatment, and a dangerous bout with sepsis.

By including cameras in her daily life, the experienced dancer recorded her battle with the illness, giving viewers a personal glimpse into her experience.

The movie showed many emotional moments, starting from her initial chemotherapy treatment to the anxious moments while waiting for test results, and then moving on to the scene where she tearfully shaved her head in preparation for losing her hair.

Many people on a popular social media site called X (previously known as Twitter) were impressed by the Welsh dancer and shared how her story brought them to tears.

Audiences witnessed her tears during her treatment.

One person wrote: "Difficult to watch, but very inspirational."

"Oh my goodness, Amy Dowden is truly inspiring. She has touched my heart. I am in tears," another person wrote emotionally.

Another person commented, "I'm currently watching Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, and I can't help but shed tears. Amy, I love you."

"The story of Amy Dowden is really hard to watch. Wow. She is such a strong and courageous woman," one viewer commented.

A viewer commented: "Wow, #AmyDowden is so inspiring! I've been crying for the first 14 minutes of this show, but she is remarkably tough!"

During a very emotional part, viewers saw her become upset as she had a cold cap put on her head before starting chemotherapy. She tried hard not to cry as her mother and nurses tried to reassure her.

"I don't feel like doing this," she cried, showing her true emotions.

Another touching moment in the show depicted the TV celebrity fearlessly shaving her head before joyfully dancing in the garden, enveloped by the care and encouragement of her loved ones. Through the challenges she faced, her resilience and determination were clearly evident.

Following her first diagnosis, she experienced more fear and doubt when she received a second cancer scare in July 2023. The documentary shows the intense moment when her cancer doctor told her about "spots" seen on her scan, causing a stressful period as she awaited news about whether the cancer had come back.

Luckily, Dowden got the green light and was determined to recover and come back to Strictly Come Dancing.

In a powerful and moving moment, spectators witnessed her ringing the cancer bell at the hospital after being pronounced cancer-free, signaling the conclusion of a grueling fight against the illness.

Even though she had a strong network of people who cared about her, the documentary revealed her opening up about the terrible online harassment she faced while sharing her struggles with cancer to the public.

Dowden became emotional as she talked about the online harassment she has faced while going through cancer treatment.

The dancer was crying when she talked about how mean people online called her a "narcissist" and an "attention seeker" for cutting her hair off in her backyard.

In a particular moment, Dowden was lying in her hospital bed, sharing a bunch of mean comments from internet bullies with her cancer nurse.

During her interview, the BBC celebrity was clearly upset as she recited additional messages and admitted: "There have been many occasions when I regretted opening up about my personal experiences."

Back then, I already felt like I had lost everything that made me who I am, my sense of self... And, naturally, I would have done absolutely anything to not be standing in my front yard ready to shave my head, but to be dancing with my closest friends on Strictly instead.

She said: "I didn't know what the result would be. And when people were writing messages like that, it was tough for me to even face myself in the mirror."

If this story has impacted you, please visit breastcancernow.org or contact their toll-free helpline at 0808 800 6000 for additional assistance and resources.