Coronation Street legend Tracy Shaw, who played Maxine Peacock on the ITV soap, has shared another update amid her chemotherapy, revealing one of the 'frank truths' about her breast cancer treatment. The 52-year-old actress, who starred on the soap from 1995 to 2003, announced earlier this year that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and has begun gruelling rounds of chemo.
Early Morning Walks to Beat the Heat
Amid the heatwave sweeping Britain, Shaw posted a video of herself walking her dogs in the early hours of Wednesday morning, explaining she has no other option due to high temperatures. 'So it's currently 5am, we've walked, watched the sunrise and listened to the birds. It's important to get out and see some light because I can't go near it in the day, and breathe fresh air into my organs which are trying to fight back. Just feel the peace,' she said.
'These are the times that are really important for me. God bless anyone who is going into treatment today or is just coming out or is going through the chemo days. It's been really important to be to realise how much peace is vital during our recovery phase of chemo,' she added.
Side Effects and Honesty
Shaw, who also had a brief pop career with a cover of Lonnie Gordon's track 'Happenin' All Over Again' and appeared in Casualty, Doctors, and theatre productions, told followers she was 'all over the place' due to side effects. 'Because of all the medications, thrush, and shingles, I'm all over the place. The smallest things can affect us and this, setting myself, starting the day, listening to the birds and seeing the sunrise and be amongst nature at its best,' she explained.
'Also, it's really hot and I have to get the dogs out and I've been really locked in the chemo land of not being able to go out because there isn't a toilet that can actually take what I need now. That's a bit frank but that's the truth. So, today, we've gone to their favourite park and that will be them for the day, and me for the day. I just wanna say hello to everyone. Stay cool,' she said.
Empowering Her Battle
Shaw previously revealed she is trying to find a word to describe her cancer, refusing to give it power. 'I've just been talking to someone who said she called [her cancer] another name. A word I think gives it power, so I quite like The Nothing or The No Name. Because I don't think it should be empowered by being acknowledged. What the chemo today is doing is amazing, it's killing everything in me. It's helping me survive, so the side effects seem minimal even though they're incredibly painful, it's doing the thing against It. What do you think would offend it the most?' she asked.
