Amy Dowden has shared another brave health update following her breast cancer diagnosis. In a message thanking her followers and fans for their love and support, the 32-year-old opened up about her fertility journey process, admitting that her fears have sometimes left her "sitting in the shower crying in frustration".
The Strictly Come Dancing professional from Caerphilly has been open about her diagnosis, and recent surgery, in the hopes that speaking out will help and encourage others to get checked out. In her latest update, Amy told her 410k followers: "I can't believe it'll be two weeks tomorrow since I got rid of my cancer-riddled booby."
She continued: "I'm feeling so much better every day, I have honestly been so lucky in the way I have recovered from surgery. And today I started the fertility journey process, which I've been quite anxious about because obviously, that's something that I've always wanted, to be a mum."
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"And when I got the news I have cancer, I didn't realise that it could affect my fertility. So I start my journey on that fully tomorrow. So I’ve had a bit of peace of mind on that one today, but I want to try and keep things real."
On why speaking out is so important to her, Amy said: "I want to try and help make awareness for this, try and help others maybe to go and get things checked out. Like honestly, I did the CoppaFeel! Trek last year which has potentially saved my life.
"Having my mum go through breast cancer when she was 51, a close friend of mine in 2020 getting diagnosed… I honestly thought it was never going to happen to me, and all I can say is thank goodness I went and checked when I did. Because obviously, grade three out of three is the most aggressive. But not only that, it's treatable earlier. The earlier you get it checked, the better."
"Already I've had so many messages from people on Instagram saying ‘Because of your story I’ve started checking' or 'I've now gone to the GP' and that’s why I've spoken out. To try and help others."
Explaining how she's now doing, Amy told her fans: "I'm doing really well, I'm now on to the next few stages, I'm still waiting for results and to find out what the next plan is. There's ups and downs, it's an emotional journey as well as a physical one but I'm doing well, staying positive and I’m determined to get back on the dancefloor as soon as I possibly can."
She also candidly opened up about how she's feeling, explaining that while remaining positive she does, understandably, have her emotional moments. She said: "I think I may have cried twice or three times today, only because it’s an emotional journey with fertility and that’s ok, I don’t need to explain it.
"But yeah, there are times where I sit in the shower and cry out of frustration or anger like 'Why have I been dealt this?' or Ben might find me in the spare room having a cry."
"But I feel much better after a good cry," she added. "So yes I'm positive, but I’m certainly not superhuman and I’m just trying to say it’s ok to cry and you feel so much better afterward."
She finished off by saying: "I'm just trying to show anybody else going through something difficult right now, I'm just like you going through this emotional journey as well."
"The hardest few weeks have been the last ones, waiting for surgery, not being able to sleep at night and waking up and thinking 'I've got cancer in me' and worrying if it's spread and now worrying about the next thing, which is fertility, but I'm feeling so much better and keeping myself busy.
"Everybody is different, you've got to do what's best and works for you and there's so much help out there." For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
