“Astrocytoma WHO Grade 4 IDH1 G395AA Mutation” is what they changed Glioblastoma grade 4 to in 2021. This, year I’m predicted to die 6 to 9 months from 12.06.2025.

In 2015, after 3 seizures in just 21 months I finally wanted answers before heading back to the USA to coach and get my graduate degree in Nebraska.

The team I call "the dream team" which consisted of my surgeon, oncologist, and CNS (clinical nurse specialist), offered me two choices. The first being whenever your back from the states we can see where it is, or we organise to get it removed as soon as possible.

It took them five months from that point to get their diaries to both be clear as one specialised in using MRI during surgery and the other in awake surgery. It took over ten hours to perform the surgery after which I was given therapy to be able to walk and talk again.

No pain. But tired and hungry. Unable to talk English or move any of my right side. But alive.

I actually spoke French for a day and I cannot fathom why as during my GCSE's I only got a C in the oral exam. 'Comme ci, comme ca' I repeated and said nothing else for the rest of that day. 

I went to London every weekday for six weeks for radiotherapy, combined with 6 months of chemotherapy. This was when I started taking an interest and passion to not only help but to prevent anyone else feeling helpless, alone, clueless, all the negative thoughts that suddenly surround us when faced with similar diagnoses. 

Groggy and hungry. Unable to talk or move any of my right side. But alive. I learned how to walk and talk again so I could get home and on with my new career path.

I undertook my first personal training course which was level 2 gym instructor and I was faced with lots of questions from the instructors such "what are you doing here, what can and can't you do" to which I replied call this number who'll tell you I can. Fast forward a few more ups and downs I finally got to where I wanted and I felt I belonged. A place that finally offered me the chance to help people who have suffered from cancer, strokes, various heart and health issues. After just over 10 months my time with my new colleagues and clients came crashing down when I was given my prognosis. This was by the third oncologist of seven so far this year alone. So much for dream team.

Since being given the chance to organise my future, I decided that I would do everything I could to put my own spin on things. Which meant financially, wake, funeral, catering, videos from friends and most importantly to me was my brain donated to UCL so research could be carried out.

Back to me and my life in football as I'm sure that's a lot easier to read.

Almost thirty years ago, I chose to play with the boys whenever I got the chance. This continued throughout infant and junior school until I was asked to join Markyate boys U11. Here, was a harsh introduction into what it was like to be the only girl on the team.

It's here I was introduced to a team full of boys and guess who had to go in goal. Like everything I do I did it to the best of my ability and was even voted managers player of the year. It was short lived as the following year girls had to play separately from the boys. I joined local team Hemel Hempstead girls, and went for trials at Arsenal, Chelsea and Reading. I also got the opportunity to represent my country at the European qualifiers and World Cup for the u17s, and travel with the u19s to the European qualifiers. It's on theses trips where I really saw what true professional football was all about. When you needed to focus and when you could just relax. We were travelling here, there and everywhere. Countries such as Switzerland to Georgia, from New Zealand to Slovenia.

I then had a gap year coaching and playing for Reading before heading to the US for a scholarship to play and study for free for four years and graduating with honours in Kinesiology. Following this, I decided that I wasn't quite ready to hang up the boots yet.

I ended up emailing every team I could find contact details for. I heard back from a few saying they couldn't offer me anything the I heard from Sandviken in Bergen in Norway. We won the league, which also meant promotion back in the top league. I flew out to the USA from Norway to sign onto a good team of coaches and complete a graduate degree. Unfortunately, whilst on the visit and completing all the forms, I suffered another seizure 18 months after the first following on from the second one just three months later. Questions needed to be answered, and fast.

Fast forward to December 2024, less than five weeks after receiving the all clear from the previous MRI scan, exactly nine years and five months post surgery I was diagnosed with another brain tumour. This time surgery was not an option. Instead, I was told that I was to undergo two weeks of radiotherapy then 6 cycles of chemotherapy.

Easy. I can do that.

Little did I know my journey would also consist of seven different oncologists, right sided paralysis, two new tumours deteriorating energy levels along with other things.

However, despite all of this I’ve managed to treat treat my family to some great memories from treating my Dad to LIV golf to going to Rome and from indoor skydiving to a speedboat ride on the Thames. I’ve really lived my life the way I wanted.

However, my mission since leaving hospital was to make a difference, in a positive way to every single person I could. I feel like I’ve done this through what I’ve done at work in the short time I was there. I also ran swam and cycled as much as I could to raise awareness and money for various charities.

Adrenaline Rush 2016

Great North Run 2016

Greater London

Autumn London

Triathlons galore x12

London Marathon 2018

Loch Ness Marathon 2019

Newport Marathon 2022

Half Ironman 2023

Dublin Marathon 2024

Belfast Marathon 2025

Walk of Hope 2025