British actress and comedian Lucy Davis has revealed that she is living with incurable Stage 4 breast cancer.
Davis – best known for playing receptionist Dawn Tinsley in the original U.K. version of The Office – shared the news in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday, saying she had kept her diagnosis private for around a year and a half.
“A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, which has metastasized to my bones,” Davis wrote.
The actress explained that the cancer has spread to her spine, right hip and ribs. She said the disease is incurable and that it was too late for chemotherapy.
Lucy Davis used her announcement to urge others not to overlook unusual changes in their bodies. She recalled that her initial lump felt more like a tiny “hard spot” and said she almost did not have it checked.
“So I guess I’m saying don’t ignore anything – get everything checked out,” she wrote.
Despite her diagnosis, Davis said she is focused on making the most of her life and finding positive lessons in her experience.
Lucy Davis starred as Dawn Tinsley in the British version of The Office, which ran for two seasons from 2001 to 2003. She also appeared in films including Shaun of the Dead and Wonder Woman, and played Aunt Hilda in Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.