Coronation Street star Tracy Shaw has shared an emotional update from hospital after being admitted to A&E over the weekend with a high temperature. The actress, best known for playing Maxine Peacock on the ITV soap from 1995 to 2003, revealed her breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year and has been documenting her treatment journey on social media.
Hospital admission and complications
Speaking from a hospital bed in tears, Shaw explained that she experienced 'really, really high temperatures' that spiked several times, a sign of possible infection. 'I didn't want to go to A&E in the hot weather so my body has suffered today,' she said. 'As a consequence, I came in to A&E early this morning and I just want to say thank you to the NHS and everyone in the A&E department.'
Shaw revealed she was suffering from a 'really bad' bout of shingles, a stomach infection, and thrush throughout her body. She praised the 'incredible' staff for working tirelessly during the 11 hours she was there, despite the lack of air conditioning in the department.
Challenges of cancer treatment
The 52-year-old actress acknowledged the difficulty of being in A&E with a weakened immune system. 'It isn't easy coming in when we have cancer because there are a lot of people with – I'm not disregarding it – minor things, and some have just drank too much,' she said. 'It's really hard at this point when my immune [system] is so low to get through that part of the department without catching anything else.'
Just last week, Shaw shared that she was 'still standing' after chemotherapy to tackle her breast cancer had 'hit hard.' She had previously explained that she was 'prepared for side effects this time' and was 'grateful' that the chemo was brutal as she imagined 'how the HER2 positive cancer feels.'
Diagnosis and public sharing
Shaw was diagnosed with breast cancer in April and has since used her platform to keep followers updated, including donating her hair to The Little Princess Trust. During an appearance on Lorraine earlier this year, she explained why she chose to share her journey. 'It isn't an easy path,' she said. 'I'm only sharing it because there are millions of ladies and gentlemen who are going through the same thing and it's just not a very nice piece of the disease, chemo really.'
She also highlighted the wider impact of cancer on families. 'The whole family and all the people who are following and messaging at the moment – those mothers with sons, younger sons or with sons my age, the family members are messaging. Sometimes just by me sharing about what the effects are, they understand how that person might be feeling, because you don't know.'
Career and charity work
Shaw left Coronation Street in 2003 when her character Maxine was killed off. Since then, she has focused on charity work, including founding the Tracy Shaw Foundation for eating disorder support. Her openness about her health struggles has resonated with many fans and fellow cancer patients.
