Hallmark Movies spoilers and updates reveal Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe announced that she has been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and has shared her emotional health journey.
The 44-year-old actress, recognized for her role in Hallmark’s ”Signed, Sealed, Delivered” franchise, wrote a personal essay for People that was published on Friday to openly discuss her recent health struggle.
Yan-Kay Crystal Began Her Career In The Late 1990s
Lowe started her acting journey in the late 90s, and prior to her association with the Hallmark channel, she featured in several horror films, including Final Destination 3 and Black Christmas.
The Canadian-born actress started her essay by revealing that she has frequently experienced a ‘love-hate relationship’ with her body throughout the years, a struggle that began early in her career when she modeled for magazines like Maxim.
The mother of two confessed that she continues to ‘check in’ with the mirror, which marked the beginning of her health challenges.
Earlier this year, in February, Lowe shared that while getting dressed one day, she ‘discovered a sizable lump in my right breast.’ Initially, she dismissed it, thinking it might be a workout-related injury, yet she still decided to consult a doctor.
Initial Imaging Tests Failed To Show The Cancer
However, after having both a mammogram and an ultrasound, no issues were detected. The lump in her right breast persisted, changing in size and position over time. ‘I didn’t experience any pain, but my nipple became inverted, prompting me to return to the doctor,’ Lower recounted.
‘The mass was 10 centimeters in size-this time, my doctor was more serious; I was quickly scheduled for a blind biopsy.’ Just a few days after the tests, the actress received a call from her doctor, who revealed that she had ‘Invasive Carcinoma in one of the ducts.’
Lowe Was Emotionally Devastated At The Doctor’s Report
Lowe had a strong and devastating emotional reaction to the news, saying, ‘I still remember getting off the phone, curling into a ball, and just crying my eyes out.’
Her husband ‘gracefully allowed me that space to reflect,’ and shortly after, one of her children, dressed in a Spider-Man costume, joined her. ‘They say laughter is the best medicine, but honestly, our kids are our best source of healing,’ she shared.
Initially, the actress thought she was at stage two, but it was later confirmed in August that she had stage three Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Stage Three cancer is cancer that has spread into the surrounding tissues.
Lowe Reached Out To Connect With Other Women In Her Situation
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) is the most prevalent type of breast cancer, occurring when ‘the cancer has spread into surrounding breast tissues,’ according to BreastCancer.org.
‘Ductal indicates that the cancer originated in the milk ducts,’ and ‘Carcinoma refers to any cancer that starts in the skin or other tissues that line internal organs, such as breast tissue.’
Lowe mentioned that she ‘never experienced any significant illness,’ making the cancer diagnosis ‘hard to process.’ ‘I turned to social media, eager to connect with other women like me,’ she shared, explaining her choice to openly discuss her health journey in an essay for People.
‘Listening to others’ experiences and learning their helpful tips, like requesting ice chips or a saline bag during chemotherapy, has been incredibly beneficial for me.’
Lowe Praised Her HMK Family For Being Supportive
Lowe also expressed gratitude to her ‘Hallmark family’ who ‘fully embraced me and assured me they had my back.’
She went on to say, ‘Hollywood often gets a bad reputation, but when you collaborate with people who care for you, they show up.’
The actress has begun chemotherapy treatments to reduce the tumor and is concentrating on a healthy diet to support her recovery.
This experience has been frightening, unusual, and humbling. It has stripped me down in ways I never anticipated, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.’ Lowe added, ‘And yet… I vow to keep going-to transform poison into medicine, to grow; that’s the lesson I’m learning every single day.’
Lowe Shared A Clip To Instagram
On Friday, she posted a video on her main Instagram page to announce her diagnosis and urged her followers to get checked. ‘This is just the start, not the finish,’ Lowe said. ‘The roller coaster has only begun.’ The actress started her career in the entertainment field in the late 90s with a small part in a 1997 episode of Stargate SG-1.
She later appeared in horror films like Children Of The Corn: Revelation, Final Destination 3, Black Christmas, and Wrong Turn 2: Dead End.
In 2013, she was cast as Rita Haywith in the Hallmark series Signed, Sealed, Delivered, which has led to several television movies.
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