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Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has opened up about the emotional toll of her breast cancer diagnosis, revealing how a double cancer diagnosis left her “broken” and facing difficult questions about her future. The 35-year-old dancer, who has been a fixture on the hit BBC show for years, first noticed a lump in her breast earlier in 2023, the day before going to the Maldives on her honeymoon with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones. Tests confirmed that Amy had breast cancer. Further scans revealed the tumor was larger than initially thought, and additional tumors were discovered. Following surgery, she learned the shocking truth that she had not one, but two types of breast cancer—both ductal and lobular—making her treatment more complex than anyone had expected. The diagnosis forced Amy to undergo a mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy, which led to medically induced menopause. Amid the whirlwind of treatment and recovery, she also had to consider the impact on her fertility. Reflecting on this difficult period, Amy told The Dr Hilary Show podcast: “You're in the world when you just got married, you know, you were asked about your fertility plans. I would love the honour of being a mum, so that was a real, you know.... “The devastating news of a cancer diagnosis… Suddenly, you’re thinking, ‘What do you mean fertility? What do you mean it’s going to affect that?’ That broke my heart. I cried so much and couldn’t get my head around it,” she added. Amy detailed how her initial MRI underestimated the severity of her cancer. “I went for my MRI, and the lump was much bigger than they realized, along with some other tumors. Then the decision was made for a mastectomy. "After the surgery, they said I had two types of breast cancer. They knew I had ductal cancer before, but now I had both. When the surgeon sent my breast tissue to pathology, the surgeon said he wasn’t expecting this—it was also lobular.” Before starting chemotherapy, Amy made the difficult but hopeful decision to freeze her eggs. “I managed to get five embryos, so I have fertility options for the future. I’m 35 now. At diagnosis, obviously, I would have loved to already be a mum, hopefully one day.” Amy explained that doctors will only consider stopping her hormone treatment after a set period post-treatment. “At the moment, it’s not about how many years since cancer—it’s how many years since finishing treatment. My consultant has agreed to revisit the conversation with me in January 2027. It feels reassuring that I still have my embryos.” She also found comfort in the timing of her egg freezing. “The good news is the eggs are from when I was younger, not my current age. So even if I use them at 38, 39, or 40, the quality is from when I was 32, which is reassuring. But obviously, I still don’t know how my body will respond.” Amy was partnered with reality TV show star Thomas Skinner in this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing. The pair left the series earlier this month after the judges decided to save former England rugby star Chris Robshaw from elimination.
