Stoke City pledges to cover female player’s surgery costs after suggesting she ‘use the NHS’
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Kayleigh McDonald, a women’s football star, feared that her career could be jeopardized due to an injury.
Stoke City, the club she recently joined, initially told her to join an NHS waiting list for treatment, prompting McDonald to start a GoFundMe page to cover costs for her knee surgery. Express Sport revealed that Stoke City had a change of heart and committed to paying for McDonald’s injury treatment.
McDonald had already raised over £9,000 of the £20,000 target before the club’s decision. McDonald expressed her frustration and emotional distress over the lack of support from the club, stating that she felt left to deal with the situation on her own.
She highlighted the financial and mental strain caused by having to pay for treatment herself. Stoke City later confirmed that the club would cover the cost of McDonald’s treatment, less than 24 hours after she made a public plea for help on social media.
The club had previously faced criticism for initially refusing to pay for McDonald’s treatment, especially after announcing their plans to invest more in the women’s side. They have been striving to advance the women’s team, which currently plays in the Women’s National League North.
Stoke City’s decision to cover the cost of McDonald’s treatment came after the club’s earlier announcement of plans to build a new training facility for their men’s team. The women’s team is currently sixth in their league and is set to return to action against West Brom.
