Footballer learns devastating diagnosis while in quarantine

W-League champion Rebekah Stott has shared her story of learning about her devastating diagnosis with stage three Hodgkin's lymphoma while in hotel quarantine.

The New Zealand international said she had discovered 'two big lumps' on her neck upon arriving back in Australia from England, where she had just completed a stint for FA Women’s Super League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

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Stott, 27, shared the story if her diagnosis on Instagram, with several Matildahs players commenting in support.

“I knew there was something not right. I had two big lumps on my neck that were growing,” Stott said.

“It was pretty intense and pretty stressful but at the same time I had a lot of support around me.

"I was actually in quarantine when I got the results that I had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"I was kind of just glad to know exactly what it is and be like, okay, now I can try and deal with it."

In addition to 72 caps for the Football Ferns, Stott won three W-League championships with Melbourne City in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and has also appeared for Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar.

She says she will now undergo an intensive four-month chemotherapy treatment, which carries with it a high risk of her losing fertility.

“I know it’s not going to be easy but I really want to go through this with a positive attitude and try and encourage and inspire others to be able to do the same,” she said.

W-League's Rebekah Stott gets support after diagnosis

Stott received a wave of support on social media after making her diagnosis public, with the likes of Australian stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Sam Kerr sending their best wishes.

“Sending so much love and positivity. You’ve got this Stott," Allanah Kennedy wrote.

Catley wrote "With you every single step,", before making a post in support of Stott on her own Instagram page.

"The strongest, bravest person I know," she wrote on her Instagram story.

Stott represented Australia at youth level before representing the country of her birth at senior level, playing at the Women's World Cup in 2019 and 2015, and the 2016 Olympic Games.

Meanwhile in the W-League, Adelaide United have agreed a deal to sell captain Dylan Holmes to Swedish champions BK Hachen, despite being three games away from a W-League finals campaign.

Holmes will play in third-place Adelaide's Saturday night clash with table-topping Sydney FC before packing her bags to pursue her European dream.

Losing the central midfielder, who has been an ever-present for the Reds since the start of the 2018-19 season in her second stint at the club, is a setback with finals just around the corner.

With AAP

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