Rebekah Stott is a Westfield W-League legend; she’s a four-time Champion, a two-time Premier, a member of City’s inaugural women’s side and the club’s equal-leading appearance maker.
And now, the accomplished defender and New Zealand international needs your help in her fight to beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
After receiving her diagnosis of Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in February, Stott cut her time short at English Women’s Super League side Brighton and Hove Albion FC to return to Australia ahead of her treatment.
The 27-year-old is set to undergo four months of chemotherapy beginning this month. Stott is ready not only to fight to beat blood cancer, but raise critical awareness for a disease with which more than 110,000 Australians are currently living with today.
On March 29, Stott will take part in the World’s Greatest Shave, to raise awareness and funds for the Leukaemia Foundation. With ten days to go before shaving her head, Stott needs a little more than $100 to smash her fundraising goal of $15,000.
LINK: Donate to help Stotty’s ‘mission to shave the world from blood cancer’
BEAT IT by Stotty: Read more about Stott’s eight-month journey to reach her diagnosis
Three weeks ago I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I know the journey ahead will be difficult, but I want to face each obstacle with a positive mindset and help inspire others who have blood cancer too. Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JsAORHhLG7
— Rebekah Stott (@stotty_13) March 2, 2021
Stott’s journey to receiving her diagnosis in February began in June, 2020, when she first noticed a small lump above her collarbone.
An inconclusive biopsy was to follow and Stott departed Melbourne City for Brighton, England at the beginning of August – when she noticed the lump beginning to grow.
Stott would first hear the word ‘Lymphoma’ mentioned by a doctor in England performing her needle biopsy. But the eventual diagnosis was still months away, and Stott progressed through the frustration of inconclusive tests and appointments. Christmas came and went, and Stott was booked in for surgery to remove one of her lymph nodes in January.
As the spread of COVID-19 worsened in the UK Stott underwent a challenging period of self-isolation before the surgery. Stott played the waiting game in anticipation of her results, which were sent to London for further tests with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma becoming an increasingly likely diagnosis.
From that point, her mind was made up. A travel agency helped get Stott a seat on a plane home and with 26 hours notice she was packed and on her way, with the help of Brighton and Hove Albion and a strong network of supportive friends.
On February 12 the official diagnosis came through. Stott was in the middle of a two-week hotel stint in Sydney at the time, consulting with specialists and planning how to proceed when emerging from quarantine.
Now, she’s ready to fight. But as her four-month spell of chemotherapy gets underway Stott is asking for your help in the battle to beat blood cancer.
Every donation, big or small, will make a difference. Donate today to aid Stotty in her quest to beat it, and help her find strength in unity with support from the entire football community.
