A REDDITCH Borough Women’s player has launched a fundraiser to pay for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL) surgery after injuring herself in a Womens FA Cup game.
Kathryn Pagan started playing football at 10-years-old, going on to play for Coventry City Girls and signing for Aston Villa u17s.
She reach the FA Cup Final against Arsenal u17s and played a season in their reserves side.
Last season Kathryn signed for Redditch Borough where they won the league and gained promotion.
She said she loved every minute of being part of the team but sustained my injury in the Womens FA Cup game against Kiddiminster Harriers last October.
Kathryn said she wasn’t aware it was such a serious injury until she had a private scan.
Although ACL surgery is availble on the NHS the waiting times are extremely long. Time Kathryn said she would like to use playing football.
“I knew getting the surgery private would be the only way to be back soon and it means everything as I would be able to get back to playing football quicker rather than waiting many many months for surgery.
“Football is everything to me, its my outlet, what makes me smile and forget any difficult moments going on in my life.
“I just know I need to be back on the pitch with my teammates, assisting, scoring, celebrating goals and I want to have that feeling of inspiring that next generation of girls to play as there is no better feeling.”
Kathryn works with special education needs (SEND) children and said she also needs to be active for her job.
She added: “Many family, friends and teammates have supported and donated which has been so helpful and I am extremely thankful, but I am still quite a distance from my goal.”
Kathryn needs to raise £10,000 to fund her surgery, and so far had just over £2,000 pledged.
Visit www.gofundme.com/f/footballer-aspiring-firefighter-acl-surgery-fund for more information.
