E130 | Rebekah Stott

Episode summary | Rebekah Stott

Rebekah Stott is a Football Fern on the cusp of representing the Football Ferns at a home world cup when New Zealand co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Her football journey has been remarkable; 10 teams across four countries, two World Cups and two Olympics, but her story transcends the sport.

In June 2020 Stott noticed a lump above her collarbone and soon after was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At that stage Stott was one of New Zealand’s best defenders, having made 84 appearances for the side, but the game that she loved over the last two decades took a backseat in her life. However, 294 days after her diagnosis was confirmed, she returned to the football field – beating the disease and returning to the professional game.

Stott is an exceptional role model for anyone suffering adversity in life. Her upbeat approach to life and illness is both inspiring and uplifting, and it’s easy to see why she’s so widely loved by everyone in the football family.

Show notes | Rebekah Stott

0:00 30 days out from the FIFA Women’s World Cup

6:23 Travel gone wrong in Prague with Betsy Hassett

11:11 Rebekah finds a lump in her neck in 2020

20:24 Four cycles of chemotherapy

28:07 Beat it By Stotty: Getting through the dark times

36:10 Getting back onto the football field

45:45 The journey to the Football Ferns via Australia

51:57 Olympic interlude

56:36 The changes in women’s professional football

1:03:21 Inspiring the next generation of footballers in New Zealand

1:07:40 Thoughts on Stotty from inside the Football Ferns camp

1:11:30 Last words from Steve, Seamus, and Rebekah