Lucy Davis, known for playing Dawn Tinsley in the British version of “The Office,” has revealed she has stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to her spine, right hip, and ribs. The actress said the cancer is incurable and chemotherapy is no longer an option.
“I almost didn’t bother getting it checked,” Davis wrote, urging others not to dismiss changes in their bodies and to have anything unusual examined.
Davis said she is now focused on enjoying the time she has left and finding meaning in her experiences.
“As of now, I’m trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can. I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens. And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there’s a lot I have learned from it, and I’m grateful for that,” she said.
Davis also described the pain as intense. “Standing and walking for too long a time can be hard, and I need to use a wheelchair sometimes (so if you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push!),” she added.
Despite the challenges, Davis said she feels calm about the future, saying that leaving her physical body "just means going home."
“I’m not scared of whatever comes next. I’m at peace with it,” Davis wrote. She said the emotional burden has been harder on her family than on her.
Advocacy Work to Continue
Davis plans to continue working and advocating for animal rights for as long as she is able. Her advocacy has included campaigns opposing fur and the use of animals in circuses, according to PETA. She also appeared with her dog Gracie in a PETA video promoting a vegan Thanksgiving meal.Davis referred to Gracie in her announcement, saying she would see her sooner than expected. Her social media presence has regularly featured animal-welfare messages, rescue appeals, and posts about dogs.
The English actress became widely known for portraying receptionist Dawn Tinsley on the BBC comedy “The Office” from 2001 to 2003.
She also played Maria Lucas in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” Dianne in the horror-comedy “Shaun of the Dead,” and Etta Candy in “Wonder Woman.”
Her television roles have included Hilda Spellman in Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and Eva Madden, also known as Surge, in the Disney Channel comedy “The Villains of Valley View.”
She ended her announcement by offering support to others living with cancer, saying each person should be allowed to face the disease in their own way.
“Cancer asks a lot from us, physically and mentally. And we all get to do it however we choose,” she said.