Amy Dowden has battled hell and back ever since she was 32 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but she is now supporting a new breast check app that she hopes will “save lives.”
Amy Dowden’s life changed forever in May 2023 when, aged just 32, she was diagnosed with breast cancer – a discovery made only a day before flying to the Maldives for her honeymoon with husband Benjamin Jones.
The Strictly Come Dancing professional was left “traumatised and devastated” but chose to confront her fear head-on, documenting her treatment to raise awareness and encourage others to check themselves regularly. Her honesty and strength inspired millions, and she has since become one of the UK’s most recognisable advocates for early cancer detection.
After celebrating the all-clear in February 2024, Amy’s mission hasn’t slowed down. Determined to save more lives, she has now joined forces with fellow survivor Gemma Ainger to launch My Breast Friend –a brilliant, totally free app designed to make self-checks simple, stigma-free and routine.
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Users can privately log any changes using the app’s gentle monthly reminders. According to its creators, “checking your boobs, chest, or pecs shouldn’t feel frightful or clinical.” They hope to bring about normalization of conversations about breast health.
Amy says she immediately wanted to get involved because she is first-hand experts on how crucial early detection can be. She explains, “I have a sense of the value of early detection from my own diagnosis.” It “can quite simply save lives,” he said.
My Breast Friend aims to make self-examinations as simple as brushing your teeth in the morning because one in seven women in the UK are expected to have breast cancer at some point in their lives and nearly half of them will admit to doing so.
Opening up about the shock of her own breast cancer diagnosis, Amy – who also has Crohn’s Disease – tells us: “I never, ever thought at 32 that I would be diagnosed with breast cancer. If I wasn’t checking myself, I wouldn’t be alive. The woman I’m working with behind the My Breast Friend app, Gemma – had she been checking her chest, her outcome could have been very different.”
Gemma, a marketing professional, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at the age of 42 after discovering a lump by accident in the shower.
She admitted she “rarely checked” herself without any symptoms or family history, and later pondered the possibility that regular self-examinations might have brought the illness to its apex sooner. Gemma, who was determined to change lives, used her experience to create My Breast Friend to aid in earlier detection of cancer.
Following Amy’s own traumatic diagnosis, the Strictly pro – who was partnered with Tom Skinner this year, who was sadly the first celebrity to leave the series – is on a mission to spread awareness.
“I want to do everything I can to raise awareness and spread the message to help others since I was diagnosed with breast cancer.” I’m so proud to now be able to negotiate my diagnosis.
“I’m finally feeling like myself once more. I’ve made it to Amy once more. I’ve regained my energy and hair, and I’m feeling so happy. However, you never forget the impact of having cancer and going through it throughout.
“My life has been completely transformed forever,” he said. However, I want to use the suffering I endured to help others and stop them from going through the same.”
The Strictly Come Dancing star admits that her life was turned completely upside down when she was diagnosed in May 2023, and the journey she went through has changed her forever.
I never anticipated that I would develop cancer. Unfortunately, breast cancer is not discriminatory, and sadly, more and more people are being diagnosed with it at such a young age.
Unfortunately, the cancer is more aggressive when it is younger. Therefore, it will essentially become the norm if people 18 and up check themselves out at the age of 18.
“When checking, there is nothing to worry about. You must first understand your body and your “normal,” so that when something doesn’t feel right, you can immediately check it.
Be kind to yourself, Amy says, offering nuggets of wisdom and advice to anyone who may be struggling with a cancer diagnosis right now. There are so many amazing healthcare professionals who can assist you, and there are so many different charities on which to rely.
Another crucial lesson is to never hold anything in. Because you can’t control your thoughts or feelings, you really need to talk to your loved ones about how you’re feeling.
She continues emotionally, “I can recall when one of the lovely nurses told me, “Amy, don’t hold it all in.” She actually encouraged me to cry and let it all out by reminding me that it was okay to feel what I was feeling.
“It was the best thing I could have done. When I cried, I released all these emotions that I was forcing down. I realised in those moments that I didn’t always have to be brave and that it was okay to break down and show some weakness.
You must pat yourself on the back for making it through, regardless of what you do next or where you go. Keep in mind all of your small victories. This too shall pass and Don’t get bitter, get better are two phrases that kept playing in my head throughout the entire experience. “
Amy acknowledges that sharing her cancer journey sometimes made her want to obliterate everyone and everything. But she persevered, realizing that speaking out might be able to save lives later on.
“There were times where I felt as though I just wanted to shut off from the world. I didn’t want to share updates or discuss what I was going through. But at the end of the day, if there’s one positive that would come from all of my oversharing was that hopefully even one person would be more inclined to check themselves. To me, it was just all about that. It was about saving lives.
“I had a lot of thought about mortality.” It’s frightful. When you’re in such a dark place, your mind wanders to the most bizarre places. I anticipated the worst after receiving my initial diagnosis and while I was awaiting confirmation of the plan of action. The worst possible scenario.
When you’re in these situations, you’re upset and emotional, and your mind wanders you there indescribably, causing the worst emotions inside of you. Despite everything, I’m still here.
Download My Breast Friend from all major app stores. For more info please visit https://mybreastfriend.health
Source: Mirror
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