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Strictly Come Dancing pro Amy Dowden was seen wiping away tears in the crowd after hearing eight-year-old Freya Harris’ story at this year’s Pride of Britain Awards.
Harris was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer in 2021, which left her bedridden for months and resulted in complex life-saving surgery.
The schoolgirl had to have a kidney removed after being diagnosed with Wilms’ tumour, a type of cancer which affects around 80 children a year in the UK.
Her mother Gemma explained during a video shown at the awards that she and her family were preparing for the worst as Harris was unable to walk or leave her bed for several months after and during her treatment.
But the girl’s resilience began to shine as she began to recover, helped by the fact that the family had purchased Echo, an Australian Shepherd dog.
Echo, whom Harris described as his “best friend”, not only proved to be a vital pillar of support for Harris, but it also inspired him to pursue dog grooming by entering Crufts.
Pride of Britain Award Winner Freya
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Despite requiring an urgent blood transfusion in the days before the Crufts qualifiers, Harris and Echo defied expectations and performed for judges in the canine competition.
The pair came second in the competition and received praise from attendees as well as recognition from the Pride of Britain panel.
During a recorded message at the awards, Harris confirmed how much Echo meant to her: “If I was in the hospital she was my goal, I would have to go home to see her.”
After the crowd at the awards ceremony heard Harris’ story, Dowden, 33 – who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May – joined several others in tears over the eight-year-old’s bravery.
Dowden has been vocal about the difficulties of her own cancer journey, sharing updates from the treatment room as she undergoes chemotherapy, plus posting a tearful video of when she decided to cut her hair Was.
And she played a flexible role of her own at the awards, as she ditched the wigs she sometimes uses to join her Strictly stars in a tribute to the country’s unsung heroes – including Harris.
Following the awards ceremony, Dowden once again paid tribute to the long list of honored heroes on Instagram.
“On Sunday evening I had the honor of attending @prideofbritain, where we get to celebrate the extraordinary people who go above and beyond to help others,” she began with a series of photos from the event.
Amy Dowden wore a stunning pink dress to the awards
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She added: “It was a privilege to stand alongside my Strictly Come Dancing family and present an award to John Burkhill, a remarkable man who has raised such a huge amount of money for @macmillancancer – a charity that has played a vital role in my life. Have played a role.” Your recent trip.
“It was a humbling experience and I’m really grateful to be a part of it and be able to express my gratitude.”
Dowden joined Angela Rippon and the rest of the Strictly 2023 class at one point during the awards to recognize the achievement of Sheffield-based fundraiser John Burkhill.
The award winner is a well-known figure in his home town for raising over a million pounds for MacMillian Cancer Support after the death of his wife and daughter from cancer.
