Amy Dowden’s fans were moved and called her an "inspiration" on Monday night after she courageously shared her breast cancer journey in her powerful BBC documentary, Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me.The Strictly Come Dancing star, 34, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May 2023. During what became the most challenging year of her life, Amy underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility treatment, and a near-fatal battle with sepsis.
Allowing cameras into her life, the professional dancer documented her fight against the disease, offering viewers an intimate look at her journey.
The film captured many heart-wrenching moments, from her first chemotherapy session to the agonising wait for test results, and her emotionally shaving her head as she faced hair loss.
Viewers were quick to express their admiration for the Welsh dancer on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), with many sharing that they were brought to tears by her story.
One viewer penned: “Tough watch, but what an inspiration.”
“Oh my dear Lord, #AmyDowden is such an inspiration, Bless her heart. Am sobbing,” another emotionally wrote.
A third added: “Sat here watching Strictly Amy : cancer and me, and I'm crying. Love you, Amy.”
“This Amy Dowden story is a tough watch. Gulp. What an incredibly strong & brave woman,” a viewer shared.
A fan echoed: “Oh my lord #AmyDowden is such an inspiration! I've spent the first 14 mins of this program sobbing, yet she's incredibly strong!”
In one particularly emotional scene, fans watched as she broke down while being fitted with a cold cap before her first chemotherapy session, struggling to hold back tears as her mother and nurses comforted her.
Tough watch, but what an inspiration. ❤️ #AmyDowden
— DorianGrey'sPainting (@inka0011) August 26, 2024
Sat here watching Strictly Amy : cancer and me, and I'm crying. Love you, Amy, 🩷 @dowden_amy #AmyDowden #StrictlyAmyCancerandMe
— Karen Franklin (@KarenF040383) August 26, 2024
This Amy Dowden story is a tough watch. Gulp.
— Clive Woodfield (@Clivewo) August 26, 2024
What an incredibly strong & brave woman. #amydowden
"I don’t want to do this," she sobbed, in a raw and vulnerable moment.
Another poignant scene shows the TV star bravely shaving her head before dancing in the garden, surrounded by the love and support of her family and friends. Despite the hardship, her strength shone through.
After her initial diagnosis, she faced additional fear and uncertainty when a second cancer scare emerged in July 2023. The documentary reveals the tense moment when her oncologist informed her of "spots" found on her scan, leading to an agonising wait to find out if the cancer had returned.
Fortunately, Dowden received the all-clear and remained determined to regain her health and return to Strictly Come Dancing.
In a triumphant and emotional moment, viewers watched as she rang the cancer bell in the hospital after being declared cancer-free, marking the end of a long battle with the disease.
While she had great support from her loved ones, the documentary also saw her discussing the horrific trolling she received for publicly documenting her cancer journey.
The dancer was left in tears as she shared how trolls branded her a “narcissist” and an “attention seeker” for shaving her head in the garden.
In one scene, Dowden was seen in her hospital bed showing her cancer nurse a series of messages from trolls.
In her confessional, the BBC star was visibly emotional as she reads aloud more of the messages, and shared: “There's been so many times sharing my story where I wished I didn't.
“At the time, I already felt like I had everything about me stripped away, my identity... And of course I would have done anything in the world to actually be not dancing in my front garden about to shave my head, but to be dancing with my best friends on Strictly. “
She added: “I didn't even know what my outcome was. And for people to be writing messages like that, it already felt hard to even look in the mirror.”
