Arsenal midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross is preparing to play at Emirates Stadium this Sunday against Crystal Palace, her first match at the venue since her mother, Jess, passed away from cancer two months ago. She described facing her bereavement "one day at a time."
Her mother was diagnosed with stage four cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer, in January of this year. She died seven months later in July, aged 45.
Cooney-Cross, 24, took compassionate leave from football to be with her mother after the diagnosis. She credits her mother's sacrifices for her football career, noting her mother was a single parent who drove her to training four times a week.
The Australia international expressed mixed emotions about the upcoming game, stating, "I want to play and I want to play for her as well and for the fans." She also highlighted the support received from Arsenal's head coach Renee Slegers, director of women's football Claire Wheatley, and teammates Alessia Russo and Taylor Hinds during her time away.