As I read about Amy Dowden’s journey, I can’t help but feel incredibly moved by her strength and resilience. She has faced adversity head-on, from battling cancer to bravely revealing her baldness on national television. Yet, amidst all these challenges, she found a way to empower herself and inspire millions.
Add Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me to your watchlist.
At seven in the evening, Amy Dowden graces my screen, her eyes sparkling, a smile playing on her lips, even after eight hours of non-stop dancing. One of the most radiant professionals on “Strictly Come Dancing,” at 34, she’s right smack in the midst of her golden years – a living testament to her belief, as she shares in a deeply moving and motivational new BBC documentary, that if she can battle cancer, so can anyone else.
She shared that it was ultimately McFly’s Tom Fletcher, through their collaboration on the 2021 dance show, who played a fortuitous role in saving her life. In the year 2022, before her wedding to fellow dancer Ben Jones, she accompanied Fletcher’s wife Giovanna on a charity walk for CoppaFeel!, an organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness. She encountered some remarkable individuals during this trip who had experienced breast cancer in their twenties. Realizing her own hypocrisy in raising awareness and not practicing it herself, she began regularly checking herself. A few months later, in April 2023, she discovered a lump.
During my pre-honeymoon bliss in the Maldives, an unexpected revelation surfaced. Rather than cloud my husband’s joy, I decided to conceal my apprehension until a series of tests, a month later, necessitated a return to the hospital. “The nurse requested a companion for me; it was Ben who stood by my side when the diagnosis was delivered.”
She adds, “I never imagined I’d be diagnosed with breast cancer. At 32, I was a fit dancer on ‘Strictly’, fresh off my wedding… Mammograms aren’t recommended until your 50s. However, this experience is something I hope will resonate with viewers of the new documentary, ‘Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me’. My aim is to inform younger people about self-examination and the impact on fertility.”
For the Welsh dancer, hearing she had stage three breast cancer was already devastating, but the additional question about her fertility plans made it twice as hard to bear. “Their immediate response was, ‘What are your plans regarding fertility?’ It felt like a second blow to the stomach. Ben and I had been together for quite some time, and we’d always talked about starting a family. I knew something wasn’t right before they told me about the cancer, but the fertility aspect took me by surprise. That’s when it felt like my entire world was collapsing.”
In 2016, this British dance pair, who were National Amateur Latin Champions and also managed their own dance school while fulfilling their duties on “Strictly”, received devastating news about the potential impact of her cancer treatment on her reproductive health, causing early menopause. This prompted them to consider egg retrieval and storage as the most viable option. The announcement came as a surprise: “I had no idea. My mother had breast cancer but she still managed to have three children.”
In June 2023, Dowden underwent a single mastectomy surgery. Her chemotherapy was planned for six weeks afterward, leaving only a small period to recuperate from one challenging ordeal before she prepared for the next. Just two weeks post-surgery, she began self-administering fertility medications in preparation for the egg retrieval.
She remembers it as a frightening experience. With the cancer diagnosis still fresh in our minds, dealing with it was already challenging enough, and then we were hit with another blow. It was an extremely stressful period for me; my body was filled with hormones, I was emotionally overwhelmed due to all that was happening, and on the day I started chemotherapy, I entered menopause. My body was confused and unsure of what was transpiring.
I started checking myself – in April 2023, I found a lump
The anticipation for the outcome of the retrieval felt “eternal”, Dowden recalls, and the documentary captures the poignant instant when she received the news.
“She acknowledges we’re not fooling ourselves,” she ponders. “We understand it’s difficult to conceive, but we only had one opportunity. By then, I wasn’t hopeful for any positive results; each appointment seemed to worsen, but that day, fortune favored me.” The doctors were able to gather five embryos, which are currently stored in a freezer until Dowden feels prepared to think about pregnancy. “I’ll need to talk about all this with my doctor later on,” she states. “For now, I just want to focus on staying healthy and fit.”
After deciding to record her cancer diagnosis and treatment journey, Dowden reflected on how her 2020 documentary about living with Crohn’s disease had increased awareness. Since everyone had already seen her at her lowest points, she thought it would be beneficial to transform this difficult situation into something positive. The BBC agreed to this collaboration, assuring her that they could halt filming if it became too overwhelming. Throughout the process, they worked together to make all the important decisions.
Was the presence of a production crew beneficial or detrimental during her treatment? She’s straightforward enough to acknowledge it wasn’t always a smooth ride. “At times, yes, it provided structure and motivation. However, there were also difficult periods when I felt exhausted, unwell, and desired rest. At certain instances, it was challenging, but overall, it did offer me direction and motivation.”
As a film enthusiast, I must say that this documentary doesn’t sugarcoat the ordeal Dowden faced last year, and it’s heartening to see her family standing by her side throughout it all. She confides, “I know it was just as challenging for them as it was for me.” We witness Ben, her husband, deep in contemplation as he grapples with the implications of Dowden’s illness and its potential impact on their domestic life. The fear etched on Dowden’s face when facing her first chemotherapy session is palpable. The cameras halted recording only once, during a critical moment when Dowden fell gravely ill with sepsis while undergoing treatment and had to be admitted to intensive care.
If not for this factor, everything else about her breast cancer treatment was present, including a pivotal moment for many women – when Dowden acknowledged that fighting to preserve her hair was futile. To begin with, she attempted a cold cap – a snug hat worn during chemotherapy sessions, designed to minimize blood flow to the scalp by cooling it, thereby potentially preventing or minimizing hair loss. However, despite her resolve to use it, Dowden found the experience increasingly uncomfortable.
She clarifies that the device needs to be on for a half hour prior, and worn for 90 minutes post-chemo treatment. Additionally, her chemo sessions were extended due to dilution. By the fourth cycle, she was extremely ill due to Crohn’s and had begun losing her hair. A nurse questioned if the cold cap was still beneficial given her ordeal. This made her feel it was acceptable to stop using it.
Rather than waiting for her hair to fall out naturally, Dowden organized what she referred to as a “hair-cutting gathering”. During this event, she decided to shave her head. “I was already losing it, so I might as well accept it. I was so distressed that even brushing my own hair caused me to shed strands, and I thought, ‘What’s the point of enduring this?’
During her time on Strictly in 2023, Dowden had been accustomed to showing off her long blonde hair. However, when she visited the studio a few weeks into the series she’d had to miss, she chose to reveal something unexpected to millions of viewers – her bald head. Originally, she intended to wear a wig for her role reading out terms and conditions on the show, a role she’d become known for since joining in 2017. But at the last minute, she decided to step out without a wig.
She smiled, recalling the memory: “The response was incredibly satisfying. Prior to that night, I’d always conceal myself, even in my own home. If workers visited our house, I’d don a hat. But on Strictly, it felt incredibly freeing. I no longer had to hide or worry about covering up.”
Besides openly discussing her treatment journey on social media, Dowden encountered a mix of encouragement, curiosity, and gratitude, but regrettably, there were also instances of cyberbullying. People labeled her as self-centered and attention-seeking, suggested she move on and focus on other things, criticized her for complaining since it wasn’t stage four, and even went as far as saying she resembled Matt Lucas due to her baldness, which might have been true given the circumstances.
My identity was stripped away – I gained two stone, lost my eyebrows, couldn’t dance
She sounds rightly indignant. “I was lucky to have support around me, but some people don’t, and those messages could tip somebody over the edge. People need to be educated. Something needs to be done about it because this is online bullying and it’s not OK.”
“Did the past year significantly alter who she is as an individual?” she promptly confirms. “Indeed, it took away my sense of self, added two more pounds to my frame, made me lose my brows, and temporarily stopped me from dancing. It quickly became clear what truly matters and what’s not worth fretting over. Nowadays, I’m free of worries. If I experience a hot flash due to menopause and start sweating, so be it.”
If Dowden openly acknowledges the drawbacks of her experience, she equally emphasizes the benefits, such as her strong husband, her family, the Strictly community (who went above and beyond), and her personal goal to return to the dancefloor. Now, returning for the 20th anniversary series, she shines bright amidst some challenges, with accusations of bullying looming over the show. Regarding ongoing media conjecture, she simply brushes it aside.
“After experiencing what I have, one learns to discern the essential from the trivial and prioritize accordingly. It’s a joy to be back on the show that was part of my childhood, especially since it’s celebrating its 20th anniversary. Additionally, this opportunity brings a wonderful gift for my family who have gone through a challenging year. I avoid getting entangled in the hype of the press and media, instead choosing to stay grounded and focus on the present moment, taking one step at a time.”
In conclusion, I inquire about Dowden’s feelings regarding her return to her dance attire for the launch event. Her face lights up. “It means everything!” she exclaims. “I visited the wardrobe team today and I was exhilarated. It feels like my first year all over again! I want to inspire others who have faced similar challenges, proving that I’ve overcome and am back to doing what I cherish. I’m incredibly grateful. My smile will be permanent throughout.”
1. “Amy’s Strictly Crohn’s & Me can be streamed on iPlayer.”
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2024-08-20 19:05