BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Shirley Ballas shares health news as she's supported by Amy Dowden

BBC Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has received support from dancer Amy Dowden after revealing some health news to her followers. Ballas posted on social media about undergoing a biopsy after a routine mammogram, sharing an image of herself with a bandage on her chest.

Amy Dowden, who was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May last year, found a lump in her breast the day before jetting off to the Maldives for her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones. Following a mastectomy and chemotherapy, which she courageously documented, Amy faced serious complications, including a near miss with organ failure due to an infection after her initial chemo session.

Despite being informed that there is no current evidence of disease, Amy won't be officially given the "all clear" for five years because of the nature of her cancer. She has been actively promoting breast cancer awareness and urging people to perform regular self-checks.

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Shirley's Instagram Story post on Wednesday evening (April 24) would have resonated deeply with Amy, as both women navigate their health journeys in the public eye.

She explained: "Urging all women do not miss your mammogram. I went for mine. Ended up going for a second one and a biopsy. Local anaesthetic biopsy done. Now waiting for results..", reports the Manchester Evening News.

She then linked in Amy, saying: "@Amy_Dowden you ran through my mind the importance of not putting it off. Go and get tested, plus self-breast check regularly xx."

To this, Amy replied: "Always here for you! Important message here all from @shirleyballas."

Recently, Amy reflected on the past year during her BBC Breakfast interview: "I can't believe it's a year since I found the lump. But I'm just so grateful in the year for the treatment I've had, the NHS, and all the charities, everybody that's helped me to be still here today."

She continued: "I was actually at the oncology unit yesterday, having my monthly injection, which I will need for five years. But I'm just so grateful to get another shot at life. but I never thought in a million years at 32, that I'd be diagnosed with breast cancer. I was living my life to the full on Strictly Come Dancing, I'd just got married, but cancer doesn't discriminate."

Now, Amy is backing The Big Help Out, a campaign highlighting how volunteer work benefits both participants and their communities. She mentioned: "Unfortunately one in two of us in our lifetime is diagnosed with cancer but charities like Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Young Lives Vs Cancer, Breast Cancer Now, they wouldn't exist if it wasn't for volunteers."

"And volunteers are the backbone, the heartbeat to all these charities that help fund research, the reason why I'm still alive today, to help support not just those going through it, but their families as well. But as a volunteer you get so much pride as well, it helps your mental health, there's so many benefits to it."