Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has said she “burst into tears” when she arrived for chemotherapy treatment.
The professional dancer, 32, announced in May that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and in June she revealed she had undergone a mastectomy.
Doctors later found another type of cancer in the Caerphilly-born dancer, and she described this as a “massive blow” as it meant she would not be able to compete in Strictly this year.
Sharing an update on her chemotherapy treatment, Dowden posted photos to Instagram which showed her wrapped in blankets on a hospital bed wearing a cold cap.
Cold caps are often worn during chemotherapy treatment and they have a cooling effect on the head, reducing blood flow to the scalp.
She captioned the pictures: “Chemo 1 done! I looked worse going in than coming out actually.
“I didn’t sleep, I got there and I just burst into tears, luckily my pink sister made sure I walked in and helped me through it and distracted from the brain freeze of the cold cap…
“I’ve left knowing chemo 1 done and not as bad as I thought.
“This is due to the incredible team and nurses! Thank you NHS! Hopefully not too many side affects.
“One step closer to being back on the dance floor. (That’s what’s hurting the most right now, I’d do anything to be there with my fellow pros right now). But for now chemo 1.”
In a separate post to her Instagram story, she said: “I hardly slept… just wishing this wasn’t happening to me.”
Dowden, who married fellow professional dancer Ben Jones in July 2022, previously revealed she had found a lump in her breast the day before she planned to go on her belated honeymoon this year.
She joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 and was a finalist four years ago with presenter Karim Zeroual.