Amy Dowden, who has been battling Crohn’s disease since the age of 11 and has had multiple surgeries over the years, feels strongly when it comes to discrimination in work
Amy Dowden has opened up about a scenario that leaves her feeling “even more punished” by her health struggles. Strictly Come Dancing star Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 after discovering a lump only one day before her honeymoon, underwent a mastectomy and was later diagnosed with a second type of cancer.
But cancer isn’t the only health condition that has impacted her life. Amy also had sepsis, broke a foot, and had a blood clot on her lung, all in a matter of months – and that’s not all.
Amy has also been battling Crohn’s disease since the age of 11 and has had multiple surgeries over the years. She says that it helped her “cope” with cancer, explaining that she’s “used to enduring things, getting on with life regardless”.
When it comes to discrimination in work due to health, Amy has strong views. She told the i Paper: “We feel even more punished by our health struggles when people won’t take you for a job because they think you might be unreliable.
“We’re often so much more reliable. Other people will take a day or two off with a cold and we’ll push right on through because we’re used to the pain. We crack on.”
In a positive development in 2024, Amy, who hails from Caerphilly, received the all-clear from cancer, previously saying a health check had gleaned “no evidence of disease”.
Amy, who was partnered up with Thomas Skinner (known for his appearance on The Apprentice) in the last season of Strictly, had an early exit from the show; indeed, they ended up being the first couple to leave.
A “gutted” Amy said she wanted to “represent cancer survivors” on that year’s series. Speaking to The Mail’s Richard Eden at the Women of the Year Awards, she revealed that she felt like she’d “let them down”.
She said: “I’m gutted to be out of the competition because I really wanted to represent cancer survivors – and I feel like I’ve let them down.”
Amy continued: “I wanted Thomas to go far but, selfishly, I wanted to do it for the cancer community. Since my diagnosis, I came back, got pulled out, came back again and then finished last.”
She added: “I just wanted to show what you can be capable of following life after cancer.”
In further remarks, Amy noted that she’d told herself that participating in the highly popular series and taking to the dance floor once again would show people that there’s “life after” a cancer diagnosis.
You can catch Amy on Celebrity Catchphrase on ITV on Saturday, March 28, from 5:50pm to 6:45pm.
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