Amy Dowden has shared an update after announcing she has breast cancer.
The dancer told fans that she underwent a single mastectomy to treat stage three breast cancer after she was first diagnosed in May. But last month, she was told she needed chemotherapy after further tumours were discovered following the surgery.
Since receiving her diagnosis, Dowden, who is best known for working as a professional dancer on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing since 2017, has been raising awareness of breast cancer and updating her followers throughout her treatment.
In her latest update, Dowden shared a series of posts to her Instagram Stories showing her followers the bespoke wig she had made as undergoes chemotherapy.
Both Dowden and the owner of Be Unique Wigs by Charlotte shared a screenshot of their messages, as Dowden thanked her for making the wig.
Charlotte, the wigmaker, wrote: “I’ve been working on a wig for the beautiful @amy_dowden and just received this lovely message from her!
“I love her,” wrote Dowden in the messages, asking if she could order another one. “Thank you so so so very much.”
Messages sent between Amy Dowden and the bespoke wigmaker— (Instagram via @amy_dowden)
The wigmaker said in an Instagram post that it was an ‘honour” to make the wig for the Strictly professional.
“I’m hoping it will give you some comfort in a difficult time, I’ve said many times on here... it’s not just hair!” said the wigmaker.
“Losing your hair can make such a difference to your confidence it’s almost like losing part of your identity,” Charlotte added.
Last month, in an Instagram Live conversation for the charity CoppaFeel!, Dowden spoke about being told she’d need chemotherapy after more tumours were discovered following her mastectomy.
“For me my journey everything changed,” she explained. “I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. But then, after my MRI, they found another tumour so then it changed into a mastectomy and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumours.
“They found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a massive blow,” she continued.
“It wasn’t in the plan, originally – and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on.”
Dowden also added that would not be able to dance in a competitive capacity on this year’s Strictly.
“This year, it means I’m not going to be able to dance with a celebrity on Strictly, but I’m in such regular contact with the team – the BBC have just been utterly incredible,” she said.
“The rest of the year looked very different to what was planned but hopefully I’ll enter 2024 cancer free and I’ll never take anything for granted and promise to live life to the full,” she wrote in a post last month.
Dowden joined Strictly in 2017, and has competed in every series since, reaching the final in 2019 with kids’ TV presenter Karim Zeroual.
