Strictly Come Dancing stars have praised “hero” Amy Dowden for finishing her eighth and final round of chemotherapy.
The 33-year-old professional dancer posted a video to Instagram of the moment she rang a chemotherapy bell, signifying the end of her treatment.
Dowden was unable to have a celebrity partner on the BBC One show this year following her stage three breast cancer diagnosis, but teased that she is now “warming up” her dancing shoes.
In response to news that she has completed her last round of treatment, Dowden’s co-stars left messages of support on her post, with Katya Jones calling the dance star a “hero”.
Dianne Buswell, who is partnered with EastEnders star Bobby Brazier this year on the show, wrote: “You did it Amy like I knew you would!
“I can’t wait to see you blossom and shine, the best things are coming for you and I’ll be your biggest cheerleader.”
Graziano Di Prima, who was voted out of Strictly with reality star Zara McDermott, left a string of hearts – as did Vito Coppola, who is partnered with soap actress Ellie Leach.
Janette Manrara, who currently co-hosts spin off series It Takes Two, left a simple message that said: “You did it!”
Other celebrity friends left messages with former Countdown star Carol Vorderman telling Dowden that she is “a special human being”.
Elsewhere, McFly’s Tom Fletcher said: “So proud of you today, Amy. Sending you all the love in the world. You rang that bell!!!”
Alongside her video, Dowden penned a message detailing the moments that had led up to her ringing the bell.
She said: “I rang the bell and I’m so thankful I got too!
“My toughest journey yet! These past few months I look back and think how did my body get through this both physically and mentally.
She explained that alongside a mastectomy she had a Crohn’s flare up and her ovaries shut down, which led to sepsis, blood clots and losing her eyebrows and eyelashes.
“It’s been tough,” she said, adding: “I’ll never be the same Amy again but, what I do know is I’m so much stronger than I ever knew and I have made the most amazing friends along the way.
“I hate looking in the mirror at the moment but I know this is a small price to pay and ‘this too shall pass’.”
She then thanked the oncology unit she stayed at and her husband, professional dancer Ben Jones, before revealing that she awaits an MRI to determine if she will need more surgery.
“For now I’m celebrating my chemo journey coming to an end,” she added.
“Thank you all for your love and support along the way. My dancing shoes are warming up and I can’t wait to get back in the training room!
“Now please remember to check yourselves, if you aren’t who is?!”
The Caerphilly-born dancer, who joined Strictly in 2017, announced her diagnosis in May and revealed to Hello magazine that she found a lump in her breast in April, the day before going to the Maldives on her honeymoon with Jones.
In July, she revealed news of a second cancer diagnosis during an Instagram video with breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! and said that doctors had found another tumour, which led to a mastectomy and the discovery of more tumours.
Since her diagnosis and subsequent mastectomy and chemotherapy, the dancer has raised awareness for breast cancer and posted regular treatment updates on her social media platforms.