Hallmark Channel star Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe revealed a “scary” major health diagnosis when she shared in an essay that she has stage 3 breast cancer.
In a Friday, October 10 essay for People, the Canadian actress, 44, announced the news and opened up about her cancer journey.
Lowe is best known for the Hallmark TV-movie series Signed, Sealed, Delivered as well as titles like Marry Me at Christmas (2017), Christmas at Holly Lodge (2017), and Flip That Romance (2019). She also notably appeared in Final Destination 3, Center Stage: Turn It Up, and The L Word, among other films.
“In February of 2025, while getting ready one morning, I noticed a large mass in my right breast,” she wrote. “In that moment, everything else fell away.”
Initially, Lowe said she thought she might have sprained a muscle while working. She notified her doctor, who ordered a mammogram and guided ultrasound, but “found nothing.” The mass on her breast was still there months later. However, it had changed location and size.
“I didn’t feel any pain, but my nipple became inverted, so I went back to the doctor,” the mom of two, who shares a 9-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son with her husband, Miko Tomasevich, explained. “The mass measured 10 centimeters. This time, my doctor wasn’t so casual; I was rushed for a blind biopsy. “
Days later, her doctor told her she had invasive carcinoma in one of the ducts in her breast. “I still remember getting off the phone, curling up into a ball, and just bawling,” she recalled.
On October 10, Lowe also took to Instagram to announce her breast cancer diagnosis with a link to her essay.
“Some news to share. I truly hope this helps other people going through this journey right now,” she captioned her update. “It’s been tough but I know I’ll get through it. This is the beginning. Not the end. And if you want to follow my journey I welcome you along.”
Lowe’s Instagram followers flooded her with words of encouragement in the comments, with Tamera Mowry writing, “We love you Crystal 🙏🏽❤️.”
Pretty Little Liars star Janel Parrish shared, “You’re amazing 🤍🤍🤍.:
When Calls the Heart actor Viv Leacock declared, “All that strength, grace and wisdom!!! Cancer picked the wrong one to mess with!!! Love you lots, lil sis!!!”
Heartland actress Cindy Busby commented, “Sending you all my love and healing! ❤️🩹 💪🙏💫.”
Meanwhile, another When Calls the Heart star, Pascale Hutton, wrote, “Sending you so much love Crystal. ❤️.”
In her essay, Lowe also detailed her cancer treatment journey so far, which has included chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation, and “eventually, implants.”
“When I called Annie Howell at Hallmark to tell her the news, I was terrified. What if I never work again? What if they forget me?” she wrote. “But nothing could be further from the truth. Annie and the entire Hallmark family embraced me fully, and told me that they had my back.”
Later, Lowe reflected on her cancer story, writing, “This journey has been scary, strange, and humbling. It has stripped me down in ways I never saw coming, physically, emotionally and spiritually. And yet… I promise to persevere. To turn poison into medicine. To grow. That’s what I’m learning every single day.”