Amy Dowden has expressed that the news of Kate Middleton’s cancer has ‘personally hit her hard’ as she shared her support with the Princess on Friday night.
The royal, 42, – who is married to Prince William and shares Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis with him – has been absent from public duties since January.
And on Friday evening, Kate announced that she is battling a form of the disease on her own in a televised address from Windsor.
Sharing her support for the royal member, Amy, 33, who recently received the news she is cancer free after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, took to Instagram as she wrote: ‘The news has personally hit me hard, thinking so much about our Princess! Cancer doesn’t discriminate.
‘There’s no textbook, right or wrong way to deal with a diagnosis and treatment. It’s personal and I really hope all can #bekind and support our Princess.’
Amy Dowden, 33, has shared her support for Kate Middleton and revealed the Princess’ cancer diagnosis has ‘personally hit her hard’
Kate, 42, who has been absent from public duties since January, announced on Friday that she is battling a form of cancer on her own in a televised address from Windsor
The Strictly dancer Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year, and underwent a mastectomy in July, taking 2023 off from the BBC ballroom dance contest while she underwent treatment.
She added: ‘I was lucky enough to meet The Princess of Wales during my treatment who was so kind, supportive and generous of time. Sending all my well wishes with treatment ahead and as always to all those affected by cancer’.
While Amy has been told she is cancer free she will not get the all-clear for five years and will still need treatment, especially due to her having a hormone fed cancer.
The Princess of Wales had been absent from public duty for a number of weeks when she made the shock announcement on Friday evening, but did not reveal what cancer she has.
Speaking from a bench surrounded by daffodils and spring blossom, the future queen said: ‘I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I’ve been recovering from surgery.
‘It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family. But I’ve had a fantastic medical team who’ve taken great care of me for which I’m so grateful.
‘In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London. And at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous.
‘The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation on cancer had been present.
Taking to Instagram Amy sent her support and remarked that ‘Cancer doesn’t discriminate’
Her Strictly colleagues also sent their love
Amy found out she is cancer free last month after being diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year, and undergoing a mastectomy in July
‘This of course, came as a huge shock. And William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.
‘As you can imagine, this has taken time, it has taken me time to recover for major surgery in order to start my treatment.’
Meanwhile Amy shared the amazing news that she is cancer free last month, however it was a tough year for the star after she developed sepsis and became ‘unresponsive after her first round of chemotherapy.
Speaking on Andy Coulson’s Crisis What Crisis? podcast, she revealed that doctors had told her parents Gillian and Richard and her husband Ben that she was ‘unresponsive’ after going into septic shock.
Things were so bad Amy’s mother was warned her daughter would not be able to function for more than 16 hours before her organs began to fail.
‘There was a lot to get my head around,’ she said, discussing how the diagnosis and the treatment had affected her mental health as she grappled with losing her hair and the seriousness of her illness.
As she was put in the ambulance to go to A&E, Amy recalled feeling ‘scared’ because she’d been injected with bone marrow that morning and had ‘no white blood cells’, meaning there was a risk of picking up an infection if she went into hospital.
Amy shared the amazing news that she is cancer free last month, however it was a tough year for the star after she developed sepsis and became ‘unresponsive’ after her first round of chemotherapy (pictured during her treatment)
While she will not get the all-clear for five years and will still need treatment, she thanked her family and friends for their support amid her ‘toughest year’
Amy revealed she was reluctant to go to hospital but had been ‘encouraged’ by paramedics to get in the ambulance – and shortly afterwards, she took ‘a turn’.
The dancer was admitted immediately with an infection with her family around her, but later in the evening doctors assured them Amy was ok and they could go home.
However, the following morning when Amy’s husband called the hospital to see how his wife was doing, he was told: ‘The doctor wants to speak to you.’
Ben, who was with Amy’s parents at the time, put the phone on loudspeaker to hear the doctor’s update – but the news was devastating for the family.
Upon being told their daughter had sepsis, Amy’s parents ‘broke to the floor’ – because Amy’s aunt had died of the blood infection just a year earlier. The doctor also revealed she had a blood clot on her lung and was ‘unresponsive’ to treatment.
Amy said: ‘My parents went into meltdown mode, Ben went into protection mode of them, and when they got to the hospital I wasn’t in the room.
‘I was having an emergency CT scan and the doctor had just said to my – my mum had to walk away.
‘My husband said that he’d said my heart rate and my blood pressure was so low that I probably wouldn’t function more than sixteen hours, my organs would go into failure. They felt I’d gone into septic shock.’
Amy explained the intensive care team had been drafted in to look after her, however thankfully, she began to respond to new antibiotics.
She recalled the moment she woke up with her family around her, saying: ‘I saw the pain in my parents’ eyes, and I don’t think they’ve been the same since.
‘It was so tough for them to have watched that, especially after what we’d been through with my auntie. And yes, I don’t think they’ve been same or never will be the same again.’
Kate’s cancer battle in her own words: The Princess of Wales’ emotional video statement in full
I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery.
It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful.
In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.
This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.
As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to
George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok.
As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.
Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too. As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both.
We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.
At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.
