She praised the rare dedication her loved ones showed during her darkest period.
"There's not many people who will sacrifice themselves to help a loved one like that," she said.
Gu explained that his immediate empathy stemmed from his own painful losses to cancer.
"The main reason we're so bonded together is the moment she had cancer, I felt it because my granny and my very close cousin, they both died from cancer.
That was the moment that made me realise, 'Oh, I really love her'. I was devastated," Gu said.
He described how his connection with Dowden stood out from typical adult relationships.
"For me, as an adult, we encounter so many people and you just know if you're going to click with this person or not," Gu said.
He recalled how Dowden helped him settle in when he first arrived in the country.
"I clicked with Amy on so many humans level.
When I first came to the UK, apart from the friends that I already had when I was in China, Amy was one of the people who really helped me.
She gave me the feeling that she supported me, she helped me with everything. It wasn't just words, she used her own actions," Gu said.
He added that her continuous kindness made him determined to support her during her illness.
"Just the way she treats me and the way she talks to me and the way she helps me, that makes me know that this is going to be my friend for life.
