The former Strictly Come Dancing professional hopes that sharing her experience will help others going through similar symptoms
Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen performing on Strictly (Image: PA)
A former Strictly Come Dancing star has opened up about an agonising health struggle she has endured over the past year. Kristina Rihanoff, who performed as a professional dancer on the BBC programme between 2008 and 2015, revealed she has been grappling with severe perimenopause symptoms.
She has also recently learned she carries a genetic variant in the CHEK2 gene, with certain harmful variants linked to a moderately elevated risk of cancer, especially breast cancer.
The 49-year-old says there are occasions when she finds it difficult to get out of bed due to pain and nausea, which she pushes through as a professional dancer. After being advised by doctors against taking HRT, she now confronts the challenging decision of whether to have major surgery.
“I’ve been suffering in silence and it’s taken a toll on me mentally, emotionally and physically,” she told Closer Magazine. “Some days I can barely get out of bed because of the pain, sickness and headaches, but I’ve been putting on a brave face.
“I have to go and teach, judge and be the Kristina everyone knows, but that’s hard. It’s like playing a role that isn’t me at the moment,” she added.
Kristina opted to have genetic testing in 2023 due to her family history of ovarian and breast cancer. Her aunt had breast cancer, while her grandmother passed away from ovarian cancer aged just 57.
As a mother herself to daughter Mila, she explained that this motivated her to ensure she can be there for her “as long as I can”. Testing revealed that Kristina carries a variant in the CHEK2 gene.
According to NHS guidance, certain harmful CHEK2 variants are linked to a moderately elevated risk of developing breast cancer, though the degree of risk is dependent on the specific variant, family history and other contributing factors.
Kristina described the discovery as leaving her “shocked”, admitting that CHEK2 was something she had never previously heard of. Following advice that she should avoid HRT, the dancer says she has been “really struggling” with symptoms including night sweats, heart palpitations and anxiety.
“I also have incredibly heavy periods, which leave me with terrible pelvic pain and headaches that make me so nauseous I feel like I want to throw up,” she added to the publication.
The dancer is currently taking painkillers to alleviate some of her symptoms, while also weighing up whether to undergo a hysterectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the womb, also known as the uterus.
“But I’m not sure what the right step is,” she shared. “I feel like I’m in limbo.”
The NHS notes that if you have a CHEK2 variant but have never had breast cancer, HRT isn’t necessarily ruled out.
Those at an increased risk of breast cancer can be referred to a menopause specialist to discuss the potential benefits and risks, with the suitability of HRT assessed on an individual basis.
By sharing her own difficulties, Kristina hopes her story may offer comfort to those facing similar challenges. “For anyone who’s struggling like me, I want you to know that you’re not alone,” she concluded.
