Roy Keane's daughter opens up on having excruciating incurable condition and says she 'wouldn't be here today without him'
Roy Keane's daughter has candidly opened up on being diagnosed with an incurable condition that left her bed-bound for a month-and-a-half.
At the age of 25, Caragh Keane's life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with lupus – a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the body's immune system to attack its own tissues.
Symptoms can include joint and muscle pain, extreme tiredness and rashes that usually appear after increased exposure to sunlight.
Caragh, who is the second-oldest child of former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland captain Keane, developed extreme joint pain, alopecia, severe stabbing pains and agonising blisters on her face and body.
Advert
At one stage, doctors even warned her that she may need to undergo chemotherapy treatment to ease the symptoms.
Speaking to PA Real Life, Caragh gave an insight into the condition, as well as the unwavering support she received from her parents.
“Life was over. (There was) no way out. I wouldn’t be here without them (mum and dad)," she said.
“When I was diagnosed, I mourned the person I had been and the person I felt I should have been. The fatigue was unbearable but you just power on. I was essentially bed-bound for a month-and-a-half.
“I had been experiencing fatigue and memory loss for about six months. Since your immune system is essentially attacking itself, you feel like you only have yourself to blame.”
Amid her battle with the disease, Caragh took part in a mock lesson for a dream teaching role and she was offered the job.
But after struggling to move throughout because of the agonising pain, she turned it down.
“After that, I was essentially bed-bound for a month-and-a-half, and then my blisters spread across my chest and face and my alopecia was really severe," Caragh added.
“I had been experiencing fatigue and memory loss for about six months, but you just plow through, thinking, ‘Well, nothing’s that extreme, I’ll just get on with it’.”
Caragh soon decided to put all her efforts into researching methods on how to get better and through this, she discovered the vital link between gut health and inflammation, which led her to switch to a diet of unprocessed, healthy foods.
After just two months of changing her diet and lifestyle, the symptoms began to subside.
In fact, she has now created Superkeen – a health company that sells organic food to help others suffering with lupus and other autoimmune issues.
“When I look at it now, it’s obviously led me on this journey and I’m grateful for the food moments," she said.
"With the main overarching aim of being inclusive and knowing you’re not alone, I hope I can help people. Everyone’s on their own journey but we’re all in it together.
“I started eating real whole foods so I focused on good meat, fish and healthy fats, veggies and fruits, gut-healing foods like bone broth and fermented food, and supplements.
“I started noticing my hair growing back and all my blisters started fading on my face.
“My joint pain subsided after a few months and then I remember thinking, ‘There are lots of people out there suffering that don’t know the healing properties of food’."
Topics: Roy Keane, Premier League, Man Utd
Jack Kenmare