Amy Dowden was seen breaking down in tears during her new BBC documentary, as she grappled with a life-altering decision about her future. The Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy immediately, followed by chemotherapy treatment.
In 2023, Amy was living her dream as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, recently tying the knot with her soulmate and harbouring hopes of starting a family.
However, her world was shattered when she discovered a lump in her breast the night before her honeymoon. Tests later confirmed that at just 32 years old, Amy had breast cancer.
Just six days post-diagnosis, the brave Caerphilly-born dancer decided to let cameras document her journey, regardless of what the upcoming months might bring.
Initially, Amy attempted to preserve her hair using a cold cap, but after it caused nausea and headaches, she opted for standalone chemo – which resulted in hair loss. Despite battling cancer and undergoing treatment, Amy was dealt another blow when doctors informed her that chemotherapy could impact her fertility,” reports Express.
Prior to her diagnosis, Amy confessed that she and her husband were ready to start a family. Therefore, learning that the treatment could jeopardise her chances of having children presented Amy with a tough decision to make.
In the moving documentary, titled ‘Amy Dowden: Fight of My Life’, the dancer was visibly emotional as she revealed the tough conversations she had with her doctor.
Amy recalled the gut-wrenching moment with her medic, saying: “I just said, ‘What about starting a family as this is something Ben and I were about to begin’ and he said to me, ‘Because chemo destroys your eggs, there’s a possibility it might cause fertility issues’.”
Tears streamed down her face as Amy continued: “And he said if I need chemo then I’ll need to look at fertility treatment to save my eggs, so that was a big blow then.”
She shared the double agony she faced, admitting: “That’s two big blows, you have got the blow of cancer and then the fertility issue.”
Her husband Ben, in an intimate moment on camera, expressed his sadness: “Amy really wants children and she was actually ready for them now. Obviously, I want to have kids as well so it is difficult.”
The couple were seen discussing their dilemma with a specialist, where Amy was confronted with the decision to undergo fertility treatment before commencing chemotherapy.
Making a brave choice, Amy opted for the procedure, which also involved daily injections to help her ovaries produce follicles.
Later on in the programme, the Strictly Come Dancing star was overjoyed to learn that her egg-freezing procedure was successful, with five eggs preserved. In an exclusive chat with Express.co.uk and other media outlets, Amy gave an update on her fertility journey.
She emotionally revealed: “I only finished chemo in November so my body is still on quite a bit recovery journey. Ideally, I’d still need to have my monthly injections for five years, so I have been put into menopause, but my oncologist with review it in a few years.”
“She further explained the risks associated with pregnancy at this stage, stating: “But obviously, when you’re pregnant, more hormones are produced, meaning that the risk of the cancer returning is at a higher risk. It is not something that the oncologist or anyone would recommend right now.”
The documentary ‘Amy Dowden: Fight of My Life’ will be aired on Monday at 8pm on BBC One.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
