Stoke to pay for Kayleigh McDonald’s ACL surgery after her GoFundMe plea

Kayleigh McDonald admitted to ‘really struggling’ in the aftermath of her injury. Photograph: Kayleigh McDonald/GoFundMe

Stoke City have agreed to pay for a player in their women’s team to undergo surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury after she started a GoFundMe page in order to cover the necessary costs.

Kayleigh McDonald sustained the injury during Stoke’s 2-1 defeat to Burnley in the Women’s National League North last month and, having undergone a scan, claims she was told by the club that she would have to join an NHS waiting list in order to receive treatment. Desperate to be operated on “in a more timely manner”, McDonald, a defender who joined Stoke from Blackburn last summer, decided to go down the private healthcare route, costing £20,000 – hence the setting up of the fundraiser.

“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 an injury I sustained playing a league game for my club,” wrote McDonald.

“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.

“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 of waiting time. 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 gofundme in order to pay for my operation, as I have been left with no other choice.”

McDonald also spoke about her plight on social media, leading to much attention and, as of 7pm on Wednesday, close to £11,700 in donations. It also led to Stoke agreeing to fund McDonald’s operation. There is a mechanism on GoFundMe that allows those seeking financial aid there to pay back donations.

The U-turn comes a little over a year after Stoke’s joint-chairman, John Coates, outlined plans to transform the club’s women’s set-up via funding that would improve “infrastructure and support”.

Stoke currently play in the third tier of the women’s game and turned semi-professional before the current season.