Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, who has been a major part of Hallmark over the years, revealed that she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. The 44-year-old actress, whose acting credits include Final Destination 3 and Center Stage: Turn It Up, revealed her diagnosis. She shared her journey since then in a heartfelt essay to PEOPLE.
Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe details how she learned about her stage 3 breast cancer
Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe is a veteran in the industry and has been around for quite a while now. In recent years, she has been a regular on the Hallmark Channel. She has worked both behind the camera and in front of it. Her notable works include the Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie series. She also directed Shifting Gears with Tyler Hynes.
It seemed like Crystal Lowe was having a smooth career, with a lot to look forward to, but then she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She spoke about the entire journey through her first round of chemo in a personal essay for PEOPLE.
“Like many women, I have always had a love-hate relationship with my body,” Lowe began in the essay. “In February of 2025, while getting ready one morning, I noticed a large mass in my right breast. In that moment, everything else fell away,” she recalled. About spotting the cancer for the first time, Lowe added, “Cut to a couple of months later: The mass was still there.” She mentioned that it was changing in size and placement, and her “confusion (and fear) kept growing.” “I didn’t feel any pain, but my nipple became inverted, so I went back to the doctor.”
She recalled how shocked she was when the doctor first said it could be cancer. She also initially assumed it was Stage 2. “When I saw my surgeon again, I was under the impression that my cancer was Stage 2 moderate, and I just wanted it out. But after a battery of more tests, it was clear that cutting before chemo wasn’t in the cards,” she recalled.
As she realized that it was going to be a very difficult path ahead, she tried to find others like her. She sought support and slowly prepared herself for the chemo session. In the essay, she discussed how she managed to gather strength by being a little bit “dramatic.”
She ended the message by expressing her gratitude towards her friends and family members.
“My husband and family have been my rock. And my friends? They’ve wrapped me up like a blanket — visiting, checking in, cleaning my house, and creating an incredible meal train that has fed my body and my heart,” she wrote.
She also thanked members of the industry and her colleagues who continued to support her.
“If you’re walking a hard road too, just know, you’re not alone. We may not get to choose what happens to us, but we do get to choose how we meet it. And I’m meeting it — with my sword raised, my heart open, and taking it one step at a time,” she concluded the message.
Originally reported by Sourav Chakraborty on ComingSoon.
