How a Welsh ballroom champion overcame cancer and Crohn's disease
In short: Amy Dowden is a decorated professional dancer and MBE recipient known for her resilience. Beyond the glitz of Strictly Come Dancing, she has navigated life-altering diagnoses, including Crohn's disease and multiple cancer battles, while maintaining a high-profile career on the ballroom floor.
Born in Caerphilly, Wales, in 1990, Amy Dowden has established herself as one of the UK's highest-ranking ballroom and Latin American professional dancers. Her competitive pedigree is significant; alongside her husband and dance partner, Ben Jones, she became the British Open Latin Dance Champion in 2017, marking the first time an all-British pair achieved this in over 30 years. Her accolades further include winning the Welsh Open and Closed titles, English Closed championships, and British Dance Federation titles.
Dowden's public life has been marked by a profound openness regarding her health. She has managed Crohn's disease since childhood, a struggle she has documented in a BAFTA Cymru award-winning BBC documentary. In May 2023, she faced a new challenge when diagnosed with grade III breast cancer, which required a mastectomy. This was followed by a second cancer diagnosis in July 2023, necessitating chemotherapy and causing her to withdraw from the 21st series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Her health journey has been complex. Following her first round of chemotherapy in August 2023, she contracted sepsis. By November 2023, she was dealing with a broken foot and a subsequent blood clot on her lung, described as a side-effect of her cancer. While a February 2024 check-up showed no signs of disease, she noted she would not receive an 'all clear' for five years. Despite facing further abnormalities in 2024 and announcing another mastectomy in November 2025, her impact remains significant, earning her an MBE in the 2024 Birthday Honours for her fundraising and awareness work regarding inflammatory bowel disease.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Amy Dowden
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-amy-dowden.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in UK & Irish culture · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
