Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has been inundated with messages of support after sharing a new update on her cancer treatment.
Taking to Instagram, the dancer revealed that she is undergoing her second chemotherapy session. Sharing a selfie taken from her hospital bed, the 33-year-old wrote: "Chemo 2 let's go!
"Another step closer! Feeling much better about it today! Last time I was so anxious, nervous, scared and full of emotions but this time I know what to expect but also helps that every single member of staff are just utterly amazing and I'm so very grateful to you all! Right, another step closer to the dance floor!
"Fingers crossed not too many side [effects] please," she added.
© Amy Dowden/InstagramAmy's followers flocked to the comment section to rally around the star, including her Strictly co-stars. Graziano Di Prima wrote: "Sending love my friend," while Karen Hauer added: "Sending love".
Her fans also shared supportive messages to the Caerphilly-born star, with one person writing: "Sending lots of love to you! You've got this!" while a second penned: "Sending you so much love, light and strength - you are just incredible."
Amy first opened up about her diagnosis in an exclusive interview with HELLO! back in May. The professional dancer explained that she'd discovered a lump on her right breast just before heading off on her honeymoon with her husband Ben Jones.
© Instagram"I was in shock; I checked again," Amy recalled. "I thought: 'Right, it could just be period-related, or so many things. I decided I was going to keep an eye on it for a few weeks. On holiday, putting body lotion on every day, I was noticing it."
Then in July, Amy revealed a second cancer diagnosis. Speaking with breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! during an Instagram Live, she explained that she would need to undergo chemotherapy after more tumours were discovered after her recent mastectomy.
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"I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment," she said. "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."
© gettySadly, Strictly Come Dancing viewers won't see the star paired with a celebrity contestant in the upcoming series of the show, which airs in the autumn. "They found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a massive blow," she explained.
Praising the BBC for their support, she added: "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."
