Amy Dowden has shared an update on her hair loss after announcing she has breast cancer. The professional dancer, who is best known for appearing on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing since 2017, revealed earlier this year that she had been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. The dancer told fans that she underwent a single mastectomy after she was first diagnosed in May. Last month, however, she was told by doctors that she needed to undergo chemotherapy after further tumours were discovered following the surgery. Dowden, 33, has been keeping her fans updated as she navigates the treatment. In her latest update, shared on Wednesday (23 August), the dancer revealed she has been experiencing hair loss and was finding it “so hard”. Telling fans she had returned home after receiving treatment in the hospital, Dowden shared a picture as she held a clump of her hair, writing: “Welcome home,” with a series of broken heart emojis. She added: “So much everyday! So hard! One day at a time!” In a previous post, Dowden shared a video of her hair that had fallen out, writing: “The reality when I gentle comb,” with a broken heart emoji. Dowden told fans in a separate post that she had some blood clots but was “feeling good” following the treatment. “And I’m going home to my own bed,” she told fans. “Thanks again to the marvellous NHS! Got some blood clots but I’m feeling good other than a sore and swollen arm. Another hurdle along this journey. But again forever grateful to the nhs and my heroes around me.” Earlier this month, Dowden showed her followers the bespoke wig she had made to deal with her ongoing hair loss. Both Dowden and the owner of Be Unique Wigs by Charlotte shared a screenshot of their messages to Instagram, as Dowden thanked her for making the wig. Charlotte, the wigmaker, wrote: “I’ve been working on a wig for the beautiful @amy_dowden and just received this lovely message from her! “I love her,” wrote Dowden in the messages, asking if she could order another one. “Thank you so so so very much.” The wigmaker said in an Instagram post that it was an “honour” to make the wig for the Strictly professional. “I’m hoping it will give you some comfort in a difficult time, I’ve said many times on here... it’s not just hair!” she said. “Losing your hair can make such a difference to your confidence. It’s almost like losing part of your identity,” Charlotte added. After announcing her diagnosis earlier this year, Dowden told fans that she would not be able to dance in a competitive capacity on this year’s season of Strictly. “This year, it means I’m not going to be able to dance with a celebrity on Strictly, but I’m in such regular contact with the team – the BBC have just been utterly incredible,” she wrote in a post on social media last month. “The rest of the year looked very different to what was planned but hopefully I’ll enter 2024 cancer free and I’ll never take anything for granted and promise to live life to the full.” Dowden joined Strictly in 2017, and has competed in every series since, reaching the final in 2019 with kids’ TV presenter Karim Zeroual. Read More Former royal chef explains why Prince William and Kate’s children don’t eat with them Barbie drooling over Darcy? Why we still ardently love the BBC’s 1995 Pride & Prejudice Prince Harry to return to UK on eve of Queen’s death anniversary for charity event Amy Dowden shares pictures of new wig amid chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer How to help your teen with comparison culture on GCSE results day Women more severely affected by ME, study claims

Few things are more satisfying than cooking up a storm on the BBQ. Whether you’re catering for a crowd or firing up for a quick midweek dinner – as the weather starts to warm up, so do our grills. BBQing used to have a somewhat basic reputation for chucking unseasoned steaks on the grill and calling it a day. However, there are worlds of possibilities when it comes to cooking over fire – for example, did you know you could even whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies outside? New BBQ cookbooks released in preparation for summer take us all over the world with their recipes, and could even convince you to build your own grill from scratch… DJ BBQ’s Backyard Baking: 50 Awesome Recipes For Baking Over Live Fire By: David Wright, Chris Taylor and Christian Stevenson Think BBQs are just for hunks of meat? Think again. DJ BBQ’s Backyard Baking proves baking doesn’t have to be an indoor, rainy day pursuit – and can be just as delicious and as much fun over the open fire outside. This book is a collaboration from three foodies – Christian Stevenson (better known as DJ BBQ), his regular co-author Chris Taylor and baker David Wright. The trio argue both cooking over fire and baking are often seen as overly complicated pursuits that are easy to get wrong – but in this book, they set out to prove this misconception wrong. The book starts with the basics – the equipment and set-ups you’ll need, with a baking focus – and then launches into a host of technicolour recipes. Dishes range from simple crowdpleasers, such as campfire bread and chocolate chip cookies (which yes, you can bake on a BBQ, you’ll discover) to the more adventurous, including lamb kofta sausage rolls and a full Moroccan-inspired chicken dinner. There’s even a recipe for charcoal ice cream – which isn’t black like you might see on Instagram, but is full of those beautiful, smokey flavours. With DJ BBQ’s signature brand of wit and irreverence, this book will open up the worlds of possibilities within outdoor cooking. Quadrille, £20. Photography by David Loftus. Available now. The DIY BBQ Cookbook: How To Build Your Own BBQ And Cook Up A Feast By: James Whetlor This is one for the DIY enthusiasts – anyone who really wants to their hands dirty when BBQing, from start to finish. While it’s all very well and good to use a regular, shop-bought BBQ, food writer James Whetlor is a huge proponent for making your own. Why? Because shop-bought versions are often expensive, and near-impossible to cart with you on a jaunt to the beach or a day in the park. But Whetlor predominantly highlights how fun it is to make your own BBQ. You don’t have to be a DIY wizard or a building maestro to do so – some of the simplest set-ups will be hugely effective. You’ll need a few basic bits of kit for a DIY BBQ – including breeze blocks, pots, planks and chains – all of which Whetlor says is available at your local DIY store. He also urges safety – wearing work gloves and goggles when building. Whetlor gives a comprehensive guide on building your own BBQ – covering all the different options, from small versions to one that can smoke a whole pig – and there’s even an ingenious step-by-step guide for building your own tandoor oven out of a flowerpot. If you’re tentative about building your own BBQ, Whetlor’s guide is so comprehensive he’ll put any nerves at rest – and then he follows up with the best bit: what to cook on your new creation. Dishes range from vibrant veggie options – mushroom tacos and miso-marinated aubergine steaks – to meaty dishes (coconut hot wings, tandoori quail, spicy pork ribs and more). Quadrille, £20. Photography by Sam Folan. Available now. Big Green Egg Feasts: Innovative Recipes To Cook For Friends And Family By: Tim Hayward While this book is predominantly geared towards people with Green Eggs – a specific type of ceramic BBQ – don’t be put off, because the recipes will suit anyone, with any type of BBQ. The beauty of a Green Egg is it covers so many different types of cooking – you can slow-roast, wok-fry and cook pizzas on there – but you’ll just as easily be able to do that without one, be it on stove or in your oven, if it’s not a recipe that specifically calls for BBQing. If you’ve got a Green Egg, food writer Tim Hayward will take you through the best ways to use it, making sure you get the most out of this (admittedly expensive) piece of kit. But the real strength of this cookbook lies in the sheer range of recipes included from all over the world. You’ll get step-by-step guides on how to make lobster rolls from the US, Indian chicken curry, a whole rack of spiced lamb from the Maghreb region in north-west Africa and Mexican taco recipes to feed a crowd. Dishes are vibrant, colourful and will be everything you want to make this summer – with or without a BBQ. Quadrille, £30. Photography by Sam Folan. Available now. Read More These recipes will keep you hydrated on hot days Three tomato salad recipes that aren’t boring Try one of these pasta recipes this British Tomato Fortnight Uncorked: How do I keep my wine cool at a picnic? Banging brunch recipes worth getting out of bed for Think pink: Three ways with rhubarb to make the most of the season

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ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 19, 2023--

Selena Gomez has launched her inaugural Rare Impact Fund Benefit auction, and many A-list celebrities donated big-ticket events and items to raise funds for mental health awareness. On 4 October, the Rare Beauty founder celebrated the first annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit: A Night of Radiance and Reflection in Los Angeles. The event supported Gomez’s non-profit organisation, the Rare Impact Fund, which works to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and expand access to mental health services and education for young people. Not only did the sold-out event help raise money towards the Rare Impact Fund’s mission of mental health awareness, but it was also attended and supported by a number of star-studded celebrities. Martin Short, Gomez’s Only Murders in the Building co-star, served as emcee and auctioneer for the evening. Of course, the legendary comedian didn’t stray from making the occasional joke or two. “I am proud to call Selena Gomez my friend, and not because she’s successful or rich; because she’s both,” said Short, per the Hollywood Reporter. “What makes tonight very important is we’re here to support youth mental health awareness. I don’t think there’s anyone in this room that hasn’t been touched by mental health and its issues and the pain it can bring a family. We are here to raise urgent funds for the young people who need them.” The benefit also featured a special performance by Grammy-winning singer HER and a DJ set from music producer and Gomez’s “Wolves” collaborator, Marshmello. However, it was the number of big-ticket items and experiences donated by celebrities that were the main event. Perhaps the most notable donation came from Gomez’s longtime friend Taylor Swift, who donated VIP tickets to her Eras Tour concert, listed on the Rare Impact Fund Benefit’s auction site for the starting price of $5,000. The item is no longer available, according to the Hollywood Reporter, because it’s already sold for a staggering $15,000. Gomez’s fellow Only Murders in the Building co-star, Paul Rudd, also donated quite the fan experience - a movie night with none other than Rudd himself for $5,000. Other sold auction items included a glam session with Gomez’s stylists and lunch with Camila Cabello. Pro soccer star Lionel Messi donated a signed jersey, which may explain Gomez’s meme-worthy attendance at his Inter Miami game in Los Angeles earlier this month. The Argentine player’s jersey is still available to bid for $6,000. Other items that have not yet been sold include VIP tickets to Luke Combs’ “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old” tour in Los Angeles, a signed banjo from Steve Martin, a luxury five-night Airbnb getaway to Mexico, and a four-night stay at the Four Seasons Resort in Maui. Gomez took the stage at the Rare Impact Fund Benefit on Wednesday, where she spoke about her own struggles with mental health. “This has been the culmination of a lifelong dream for me, but it has also stemmed from some of the darkest moments in my life,” the former Disney Channel star told attendees. “I struggled with the world inside my head for a long time and I felt lost and I felt hopeless at times. In 2020, I received my diagnosis of bipolar disorder and, to be honest, everything quickly changed,” she continued. “I actually got the knowledge and the answers I had been desperate for for so long, and understanding that obviously makes me become more aware of it, and I’m less afraid than I used to be. “With that knowledge, I could seek out the support I needed to be myself, to find my joy again, and tonight I’m very proud to say that I have. I’m working really hard every day and I’m so happy just to be alive and be here with you guys today.” The Rare Impact Fund, which Gomez founded in 2020, has a goal of raising $100m in the next 10 years to expand access to mental health services and education for young people around the world. While the “Lose You to Love Me” singer acknowledged that her mission “probably sounds really absurd,” she noted that it’s people like her little sister, Gracie, and “the world that she and her generation inherits” that inspires her to make the world “a kinder one, a clearer one, a more connected one, with support and access”. “It has been my ultimate dream to launch this fund and it’s probably the most important thing that I’ve ever done, and I just couldn’t be more proud of the Rare Impact team for the work that they’re doing,” Gomez added, before thanking the crowd for “everything you’re going to do tonight; it’s the hardest journey I’ve ever been on but by far the most rewarding”. Gomez first revealed she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder - a mental health condition that causes episodes of mood swings - in 2020, when she appeared on Miley Cyrus’s Instagram Live series titled “Bright Minded”. During a wide-ranging interview with Rolling Stone published in November 2022, Gomez shared that she checked into a mental health facility in 2018 after experiencing her first bipolar episode. She opened up about the “dark” period in her “early twenties” when she “started to feel like I was not in control of what I was feeling, whether that was really great or really bad”. In her Apple TV+ documentary, My Mind & Me, Gomez described the fear she felt after receiving her bipolar disorder diagnosis. “When I first got out, I didn’t know how I’d cope with my diagnosis,” she recalled in the documentary, which was released last November. “What if it happened again? What if the next time, I didn’t come back? “I needed to keep learning about it,” she said of the condition. “I needed to take it day by day.” Gomez has also been open about her battle with the autoimmune condition lupus, which she was diagnosed with in 2014 and underwent a kidney transplant for in 2017. Read More Selena Gomez opens up about her mental health struggles: ‘Maybe it would be damaging to tell people who I am’ Selena Gomez opens up about bipolar diagnosis: ‘I’ve been to four treatment centers’ Selena Gomez reveals she may never carry children due to bipolar medication How to dress like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce for Halloween 2023 NFL defends spotlighting Taylor Swift during Travis Kelce’s games Travis Kelce says the NFL is ‘overdoing it’ with their Taylor Swift coverage

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Ryanair’s boss has pledged to “charge back into Ukraine” once commercial flying reopens and promised investment worth $3bn (£2.3bn) in the wartorn country. Michael O’Leary visited Kyiv on Thursday and said that he soon hoped to reconnect the country’s Lviv and Odesa airports with more than 20 European Union capital cities within eight weeks of the reopening of air space with around 600 weekly flights. “The fastest way to rebuild and restore the Ukrainian economy will be with low-fare air travel,” the chief executive said. “Ryanair intends to invest heavily in Ukraine and lead this aviation recovery by investing up to $3bn and basing up to 30 Boeing Max aircraft at Ukraine’s three main airports in Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa. “Having previously also served Kharkiv and Kherson airports prior to the invasion, Ryanair will return to serving those airports too, as soon as the infrastructure has been restored.” He added that the company will employ hundreds of Ukrainian pilots, cabin crew and IT professionals, and we will look to create thousands of new jobs in aviation for Ukrainian citizens. It is hard to say when commercial flights will be possible to and from Ukraine with restrictions still in place due to the ongoing war with Russia. Ryanair held meetings in Kyiv’s Boryspil International Airport with representatives from Ukraine’s main airports, Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa. Mr O’Leary was joined by Boryspil airport chief executive Oleksiy Dubrevskyy and Ukraine’s communities minister Oleksandr Kubrakov. The latter man said the resumption of flights will be possible “as soon as the security situation allows”. “We are already working on solutions and investment plans to enable aircraft to fly up quickly,” he said. Ryanair noted the “excellent state” of the airport infrastructure after examining terminals, baggage claims and passenger check-ins. The company has said that in the first 12 months after the war, more than 5 million seats to and from Ukraine will be on offer with 10 million per year within five years. Read More Russia-Ukraine war – live: Moscow restricts movement of British diplomats over support for Kyiv UK donated 184,000 more artillery shells to Ukraine than planned, says Wallace Ukraine and Pakistan call for restoring the Black Sea grain deal after talks in Islamabad The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary