his week, Trisha Goddard, the 67-year-old former Celebrity Big Brother star, shared an update on her health as she fights secondary breast cancer. Also known as metastatic or stage 4 breast cancer, her illness comes with challenging side effects.
Trisha revealed she is suffering from Raynaud’s syndrome. This condition reduces blood flow to the fingers and toes. It often causes the skin to change color and brings burning or numbness.
Raynaud’s Syndrome Worsened by Chemotherapy
Raynaud’s syndrome can be a side effect of some cancer treatments, especially chemotherapy. Trisha posted a photo on Instagram showing her fingers, which looked very white due to the condition.
In her post, she wrote:
“OMG…anyone else suffering from annoying Raynaud’s? If you do this, it happens when you buy frozen food and forget to wear gloves and then put it in the freezer, yikes!”
She explained that she had mild Raynaud’s for years. But after more than a year of chemotherapy infusions every three weeks, her symptoms got worse. She described the painful process as her fingers changing colors—from bright red, to blue, then icy grey or white, before finally returning to normal.
How Trisha Manages Raynaud’s Syndrome
Trisha said she has adapted her lifestyle to cope with the symptoms. For example, she wears gloves when driving to protect her fingers from the cold air conditioning. She also holds cold cups with a napkin to reduce discomfort.
She shared:
“Every now and then I forget; the burning sensation starts, and my fingers become painful and numb while turning the colors of the Union Jack.”
She added more information for her followers about the condition:
“Chemotherapy can induce or worsen Raynaud’s phenomenon. It causes blood vessels in fingers and toes to narrow temporarily in response to cold or pressure. This reduces blood flow and changes skin color. It may also cause numbness and pain. Usually, this side effect is temporary and goes away after chemotherapy. But it is important to manage and be aware of it.”
Life with Stage 4 Cancer: Trisha’s Journey on Celebrity Big Brother
Last month, Trisha spoke publicly about living with stage 4 cancer during her time on the reality show Celebrity Big Brother.
She described her chemotherapy experience:
“I went to the infusion centre on April 1. I call it my hydrotherapy room. I had chemotherapy and targeted hormone therapy, one after the other. I had a port catheter inserted in my chest.”
She also explained the precautions she took while traveling to the UK for treatment:
“I had to wear compression leggings and a sleeve on my arm. I brought disinfectant wipes to clean the seat, table, armrests, and toilet.”
Trisha praised her oncologist, calling him “a rock star” who supported her message of hope.
Upon arrival in the UK, she had an ultrasound scan to check for deep vein thrombosis and underwent a full medical check-up.
Purpose and Impact of Joining Celebrity Big Brother
Trisha joined Celebrity Big Brother to inspire patients and show them they should not fear living with stage 4 cancer. Despite her strong presence, she was the second contestant to leave after losing the public vote against Patsy Palmer and Jack P Shepherd.
On leaving the show, Trisha appeared “a little sad” but took the experience positively. She dismissed some of her housemates’ reasons for nominating her. For example, Chesney Hawkes said talking to her felt like being on her talk show. Trisha found this to be a compliment.
She reflected on the experience as a break from her cancer treatments:
“Being on the show was a respite, a holiday from thinking about cancer. It allowed me to be a kid again, spending time with the Big Brother team and not worrying about my next scan.”
While she did talk about cancer, she said it was just part of her life, like for 3.4 million people in the UK who live with the disease. She appreciated that the show gave her a chance to take a break from heavy topics.
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