I’ve Been Battling A Kidney Condition Since 2020 – Fara Williams

England’s most-capped female player of all time, Fara Williams has come out to say that she has been battling a kidney condition for almost a year.

She recently had her say on Instagram, and English fans have been reacting.

According to her, the condition has been causing her lots of challenges, and it happened as a result of an excess leak of protein from blood into urine which can lead to swelling in the legs and ankles.

Fara added that she had since been put on the highest possible dose of steroids, and there have been side effects.

Her words, “In March 2020, I had an operation to reattach the muscle & tendons of my thigh to the bone. In my final stage of rehab, I noticed swelling in my legs, hands & face.”

“My first thought was that it was some sort of allergy, however, the following Day I was admitted to A & E & underwent many tests, including a kidney biopsy. The result of the biopsy showed that I had a kidney condition called Nephrotic Syndrome.”

“To treat this condition, I was put on the highest possible dose of steroids. This, of course, did not come without noticeable side effects. I gained an excessive amount of weight & this was noticeable in both my physical appearance and performances on the pitch.”

“I was fully cleared to play football on this medication by the Anti-doping Authority, together with my having regular blood & urine tests.”

“My consultant had never encountered someone within sport with this condition, until assisting me with my treatment, so it has been difficult to know what to do for the best – both for myself and Reading WFC.”

“I’ve been conscious of not wanting my teammates or the fans to think that I was unfit or not trying my absolute hardest in training sessions or during matches, particularly as, the reason was the condition and side effects of my medication. Upon reflection, I now feel I should have waited until I was further into recovery before I continued to play football.”