‘The Office’ UK Actor Lucy Davis Announces Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Lucy Davis, who played Dawn, the office receptionist in the original UK version of The Office from 2001 to 2003, has revealed that she has stage 4 breast cancer.

According to her Instagram announcement, the cancer has since metastasized to her bones, including her spine, right hip and her ribs. Her doctors have told her that the cancer is ‘incurable’, and that it is unfortunately ‘too late for chemo’.

Davis shared that the initial lump she had felt was ‘really tiny’, and more like a ‘hard spot’ than a lump. She almost didn’t bother getting it checked, but she is now using her experience as an example to encourage more people to ‘get everything checked out’.

According to the US National Cancer Institute, common symptoms of breast cancer may include: a lump, or swelling in the breast, chest or armpit, as well as changes in the shape or look of the nipple (e.g. a rash or turning inwards).

Currently, Davis is trying to manage life after a terminal cancer diagnosis. According to her: “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 shared that the pain ‘can really be something else’, and that ‘standing and walking for too long’ can be difficult, requiring her to use a wheelchair at times.

Now, Davis encourages her friends and family to not treat her ‘like a sick person’, and to make fun of her as much as possible — citing humor as what’s most important to her now. She also shared in her post that she’s ‘not scared of whatever comes next’, and that she has made her peace with it, mentioning that she’ll see her dog, Gracie, who passed away in 2024, ‘sooner than expected’. She is keen to continue to work, saying that she’s ‘perfectly able to do so’, especially as acting is one of the ‘biggest joys’ in her life. She wants to continue her work with animal rights, for as long as she can.

After her announcement on Instagram, Davis received strong support from her fans and supporters in the comments section. Following her post to Instagram, Davis received an outpouring of support from fans and well-wishers.

The actor who played Davis’s counterpart on the American version of ‘The Office’, Jenna Fischer, wrote: “Beautiful post. Love you lots. And yes to working with cancer! Let's spread that message far and wide! How working is such a comfort!" Fischer also recently faced a stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis in 2023.