Lucy Davis of 'The Office' Says Her Cancer Is Incurable

Lucy Davis, who played receptionist Dawn Tinsley in the British version of "The Office" and had a starring role in "Shaun of the Dead," said Tuesday that she has breast cancer that has spread to her bones and cannot be treated.

"The cancer is incurable, and too late for chemo," Davis, 53, wrote on Instagram.

She said she was diagnosed about 18 months ago with stage 4 breast cancer that has metastasized to her spine, right hip and ribs.

"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," she wrote. "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."

Davis said her first sign of trouble was so slight that she nearly let it pass. "The initial lump that I felt, wasn't a 'lump' as such; rather a kind of hard spot. Really tiny. I almost didn't bother getting it checked," she wrote. "So I guess I'm saying don't ignore anything — get everything checked out."

She said pain from the cancer will put her in a wheelchair at times, and joked, "so if you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push!" Humor, she wrote, "has been most vital to me," and she asked that people not treat her as a sick person: "There's nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you're unwell."

Davis also wrote that she is "not scared of whatever comes next. I'm at peace with it," and that "for me, leaving my physical body just means going home." She added: "Any and all grieving is for my family; it's far harder for them than for me."

She said she plans to keep working if she is able, calling acting "one of the biggest joys in my life."

Davis played Tinsley in the British "The Office," which ran from 2001 to late 2003 and preceded the American version. She also played Dianne in the 2004 zombie film "Shaun of the Dead," Etta Candy in 2017's "Wonder Woman," and the witch Hilda Spellman in the Netflix series "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," which ran from 2018 to 2020.

"For those of you on a similar journey to mine, I do wish you well," she wrote. "Much love to you all."