Update: Roy Keane’s daughter confirms how dad stopped her spiralling over incurable condition News

Caragh Keane, the daughter of Manchester United legend Roy Keane, has opened up on her battle with the autoimmune condition, which she was diagnosed with in 2021

Caragh Keane, daughter of Roy Keane, has bravely shared an update on her struggle with lupus, a non-contagious autoimmune disease that mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. The Manchester United legend and Sky Sports pundit has been supporting his daughter through her battle with the illness.

The 29-year-old, one of Roy’s five children, has had a challenging few years after developing lupus in the summer of 2021. The exact cause of this incurable disease is unknown, but it is believed to be influenced by a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors.

Keane first experienced symptoms such as blisters on her fingers and toes, which were initially diagnosed as chilblains despite the warm weather.

She also suffered from serious bouts of fatigue, to the point where she struggled to stay awake while driving or getting a haircut, reports the Mirror.

Further symptoms included joint pain, which led her to turn down her dream job as a primary school teacher, and hair loss, with her hair falling out in clumps. After reaching what she describes as ‘rock bottom’, she was finally diagnosed with lupus and began her journey towards recovery.

“There is no single test for the autoimmune condition, however various markers in the blood can point towards it,” Keane admitted to The Sun.

“All of these were present in my system. Before my diagnosis, I had only heard about lupus because of Selena Gomez, who discovered she had the disease in 2013.

“I was clueless about the details and, with no definitive cause, I went down a Google rabbit hole for answers. I found horror stories of organ issues and people becoming reliant on immunosuppressants, such as chemotherapy medication.

“My dad is the most supportive person, and my mum Theresa is super-positive, too, which stopped me spiralling. I’ll never be cured, but I manage lupus with supplements, diet and lifestyle. It’s a work in progress, and I occasionally get flare-ups, which mean hair loss and pain.”

Keane works to prevent flare-ups, changing her diet, working to alleviate stress and curtailing playing competitive sports. Since making steps in her recovery, she has launched a healthy food brand.

The business focuses on selling organic and healthy food products to the public. Her father was instrumental in getting it off the ground, with the former United skipper providing financial and moral support.

He told the Stick to Football podcast in a joint appearance with his daughter: “When you started, you asked me to support you, I said ‘yeah, go for it, girl!’

“Can I have some money daddy? That was the business meeting! I said yeah, take it, whatever you need. It was more than what I thought to get a company up and running, it’s been hard work.”