Please help me raise funds for my knee surgery.

Hi my name is Kayleigh McDonald and I’m trying to raise £20,000 for a complex knee surgery I sustained playing football.

So sad to say that just when I thought the women’s game was finally getting somewhere, I receive the worst news that I will have to join the NHS waiting list for surgery after a injury I sustained playing a league game for my club.

I’m so gutted and mentally broken with my injury, it took 2 and a half weeks after my scan for my injury to be explained to me by a medical professional, Turns out as well as rupturing my LCL, Ive also now been made aware that I have a high grade 3 injury to my ACL, ruptured my IT Band, ruptured my popliteus tendon and fractured my knee.

I’m now in my 4th week post injury with nothing in place. I’m having to pay to see a private consultant (which is very expensive), in hope that my knee can get looked at and operated on in a more timely manner. I have suffered more mentally than physically with this injury, especially the fact it’s going to inevitably end my football career.

Because, at the end of the day, what’s the point? When you get injured like this in the women’s game, you’re left to deal with it all on your own with no support. It affects my day to day living and my livelihood.

I’m currently off work, not able to walk, not earning any money but still having the burden of paying my bills. Just to see a consultant it’s over a month waiting time. I spoke to a girl who’s also injured her ACL and she won’t be getting surgery until November. I won’t be able to live financially. This has been such a difficult time for me and something I’m really struggling with. I’m embarrassed to have to resort to setting up a go fund me in order to pay for my operation, as I have been left with no other choice.

I need this operation to get back to working and earning a living. People know how fitness helps you mentally and at the moment I’m really struggling and it is so difficult to see the light at the end of this horrible dark tunnel.

So I’m asking please, whether you’re a fan of football or a player, as a footballing community or just anyone can you help just by sharing my post even if you can’t afford to put any money in, just help in other ways for me to be able to get my surgery and my life back on track. The surgery needed is a lot as I have such a complex injury and the cost is £20,000. One thing this has taught me is that during the darkest days of my life, who are truly there for me and care for me. Without the support system I have I’d hate to think of the place I’d be at.

Thanks so much x