Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has said that she “lives each day to the fullest” as she celebrated a major milestone in her cancer journey.It’s been three years since the Welsh professional dancer, 35, was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. Since then, she’s had chemotherapy, contracted sepsis, broken her foot and had a second preventative mastectomy. But despite the medical lows the last few years have brought, Dowden was still able to compete on Strictly last season, and found even more reason to celebrate in a post shared to Instagram on Tuesday (30 June).The ballroom champion posted two photos of herself sat in a swimming pool in Ibiza, and explained that she’d been reminiscing on where she was three years ago.Dowden looked back three years to the beginning of her cancer treatment (Getty)“Three years ago today, I had just recently [had] my breast removed and was currently undergoing fertility treatment before starting chemotherapy,” she wrote.“I was terrified, not only of the treatment itself, but of being thrown into a forced menopause because my cancer is hormone-fed.”Different forms of cancer treatment can bring about an early menopause in women, which can be a temporary state.Dowden, who recently appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox with fellow pro Carlos Gu, continued: “Fast forward exactly three years, and my perspective on life has completely changed. I live each day to the fullest, with so much gratitude for the little things I once took for granted.“I know how lucky I am, and I never lose sight of that. Every day is a gift, and I’m determined to make the most of it. Here’s to resilience, hope, and celebrating every milestone.”Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 dayNew subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 dayNew subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.Dowden underwent a second mastectomy in November (Amy Dowden)It was May 2023 when Dowden first shared that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Treatment, including undergoing chemotherapy for a different cancer prevented her from competing on that year’s season of Strictly – although she did appear as a guest with her newly shaved head.Dowden returned to the Strictly ballroom in 2024 with JLS star JB Gill, but was forced to withdraw from the competition early after breaking her foot.She competed once more in last year’s season with The Apprentice star Tom Skinner. The pair were the first to be eliminated from the competition, although Dowden recently insisted that she hadn’t been paired with the controversial TV personality to protect her health.“No, they knew I was back to full fitness,” she said. “And my medical team had given them the go-ahead. I’d just come off two back-to-back tours and spent the summer learning all of the professional group numbers.“Obviously, I was gutted, selfishly, because I’d wanted to prove that after a cancer diagnosis you can come back and do well.”Dowden will be returning for the 2026 series, the first stars of which have recently been announced.