Fran Kirby felt for a while that something wasn’t right – the fatigue, the nausea, the persistent brain fog. But it wasn’t until she collapsed in her hallway that the symptoms became impossible to ignore.
She regained consciousness thanks to a slap across the face and was told paramedics were on their way.
“I just got really, really extreme chest pain. Like something that I’ve never, ever experienced before,” Kirby told BBC Sport.
“I didn’t know what was going on. My head started to get really dizzy and I remember just saying that I’ve got to go and sit down.
“I got up, walked across the kitchen and then basically just completely collapsed in the hallway, like passed out completely.
“I thought I was having a heart attack.”
The next day she was diagnosed with pericarditis – an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac around the heart. The condition typically causes chest pain and fever.
Kirby’s collapse came in November 2019 and she was sidelined for 10 long months.
A full recovery and comeback followed, and the five years since her return have been fruitful for one of the most gifted players to represent the Lionesses in recent times.
She added eight trophies to her collection with Chelsea, lifted the Euros trophy with the Lionesses, and then signed for Brighton. Five months ago – shortly before England retained their European title in Switzerland – she retired from international football for good.
Having considered ending her career early because of her heart condition, the return to action has delivered more than she could have ever imagined.
“There’s been times where I feel I’m not going to do this any more,” Kirby said of her career.
“I’m not going to do this to my family any more, I’m not going to put them through it, I’m not going to put myself through it.
“That was tough. But now that I’ve gone through it, it makes me proud that I’ve be
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