Trisha Goddard was reluctant to make her second breast cancer diagnosis public
Trisha Goddard had reservations about revealing that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time to the world as she didn't want to be "recognised" for battling the disease.
Trisha Goddard was hesitant about announcing that her breast cancer had returned.
The 68-year-old star revealed in 2024 that she had been diagnosed with the disease for a second time and was reluctant about making the news public as she didn't want to be defined by the illness – which is treatable but not curable.
Trisha told Closer magazine: "Treatments are developing rapidly, but people's attitudes aren't. The minute you get cancer, it's, 'Poor you, you're going to die soon.'
"I didn't want to be known as 'her with the cancer'. I want to work and to be recognised for that, rather than for being alive with cancer."
Trisha was praised for her positive outlook on her illness when she took part in Celebrity Big Brother last year but explained that she and her husband Allen have gone through "dark days" together.
The presenter – who beat breast cancer when she was first diagnosed in 2008 – said: "I don't want people to think I'm skipping through this happily.
"I have dark days and so does my husband, and we'll cling to each other and shake like leaves. But then we'll come back to, 'You can't be so scared of dying, you're afraid to live.' And we laugh – we have a very dark sense of humour!"
Trisha – who has adult children Billie and Madi from her marriage to second husband Mark Grieve – explained that she has no intention of slowing down, despite the challenges posed by her illness.
She said: "I'd love to travel and take my kids back to Africa. I also want to get a service dog who can travel with me."
The Trisha host turned 68 last month and felt a sense of gratitude to be celebrating another birthday.
Goddard explained: "I was thinking, 'How did I get here so fast?' Then the other voice in my head said, 'Shut your face, you're lucky to get to 68 in such good nick, all things considered!'
"Everything can change on the turn of a coin, so be grateful for every healthy day you have."
