How Strictly dancer Amy Dowden tackled cancer at age of 32

The dancer, from Caerphilly, South Wales, is far from alone in her situation and she found solace in sharing her story with others and building connections with people in similar situations.

That’s why, just six days after she got the devastating news, Dowden decided to allow cameras to follow her journey – no matter what would unfold in the coming months.

Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me documents the most turbulent year of her life as she battles for her health, her future family, and her love for dance: a deeply personal, honest and raw journey through 15 months of tough decisions and brave resolve.

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The dancer is preparing to return to Strictly for the 2024 series, but why did she want to do the eye-opening documentary?

“After my Crohn’s documentary, I knew the impact that made and how it made me accept my condition for the first time ever.

I felt straight away (that) maybe I could make a difference.

I never thought I would ever, ever be diagnosed with breast cancer at 32. I only came across it because I was checking myself. If I wasn’t, I might not be here right now, because I had Grade 3,” she says.

“If it can raise awareness and 10 people start checking themselves from watching this documentary, I could potentially save a life.”

Dowden also explains why she had fertility treatment.

"I had a hormone-fed cancer, so they needed to put me into menopause because my hormones were feeding the cancer. My whole body was feeding cancer.

“But also because I was having chemotherapy, and as amazing as chemotherapy is, it destroys a lot of cells in your body. Your eggs, your ovaries, everything can be damaged and not necessarily reboot again.

"Since we got married, the question we’re asked the most is: ‘When are you going to have kids?’ and my body can’t go through that right now. You produce so many hormones when you’re pregnant, I’d be at such a high risk of my cancer returning.

“Of course we want children, but we still don’t know. There are so many options, which we’re grateful for. With fertility and the pressure in general, you don’t know what someone is going through. People should bear that in mind. We need to educate.”

But cancer, she says, was not going to stop her get back to dancing.

"Recovering from chemo was grim, it was awful. But the desire of being back on the dancefloor was what kept me motivated and determined.”

Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me is on BBC One on Monday at 8pm.