A Renfrew footballer has made a return to the beautiful game three years after being diagnosed with heart failure.
Nicole Goodwin - who suffered a leaky heart valve while giving birth to her daughter - made an emotional return to competitive football last Saturday when she ran out with Renfrew Ladies as her daughter looked on.
The 29 year old signed with Renfrew earlier this year after a three-year absence as a result of her heart condition and diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.
The illness came as a massive shock to Nicole who, having played football all her life, had always been fit and healthy.
It was only when she was in labour with her daughter, Isla, that she fell ill, telling the midwives that she was struggling to breath.
Hooked up to monitors, the frantic mum was told she was in heart failure and they needed to deliver the baby urgently.
As soon as Isla was born she was taken to the neonatal unit in the Royal Infirmary and Nicole was taken in an emergency ambulance to the Golden Jubilee Hospital.
Here she learned her mitral valve was leaking into her lungs, which was causing her difficulty breathing.
A second diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in January 2020 was another blow for Nicole and she now depends on insulin to regulate her blood sugars.
Both conditions are now being managed with medication.
Nicole told the Express: “I thank my lucky stars everyday that I am here to tell the tale and I got my daughter out of that horrible experience.
“There are a lot more people out there worse off than me who don’t have the opportunity to do what they love.
“Saturday was my first competitive game and Isla was there for that, it was amazing. I hear her shout mummy from the sidelines and it’s the best feeling in the world.”
Nicole will be on medication for life and be continually monitored to ensure her condition is not worsening. Doctors are not sure if she was born with the leaky valve or if the problems started as a result of pregnancy.
The former Barrhead High School pupil returned to football training last year when doctors were happy with the progress she made with medication.
She initially started training with Gartcairn Women but a dislocated knee prevented her from competing for months.
The midfielder signed for Renfrew Ladies at the start of the season and has slotted right into the team.
She said: “I asked my consultant if I could go back to football and he didn’t see any issue with it.
“The diabetes doesn’t have a very big effect. I have to manage my insulin and you need to find what works for you and your body, but I always said if I had the opportunity to go back to it I was going.
“I know some of the girls at Renfrew and they said come along, which I did and it’s great to be back.”
Nicole has all the motivation she needs on the pitch as Isla and her partner John McIver support her every step of the way.
And Isla looks set to be following in her mum’s steps.
“I can’t even go to training without her trying to follow me,” Nicole said. All the coaches, staff and the girls are great with her.
“They make her feel part of the team which I’m so grateful for.”
Nicole was even younger than Isla when she started playing football, kicking a ball as soon as she could walk.
She was taught by her dad, who sadly passed away when she was young.
Undeterred, Nicole continued playing and enjoyed incredible success as a footballer in teams across the wider Glasgow area.
Helping Motherwell gain promotion to the Scottish Women’s Premier League One was her particular highlight.
For now however Nicole is delighted to be playing for Renfrew Ladies and is enjoying the sport she thought she may never be able to play again.
“I’m taking it a season at a time,” she said. “Isla is really into football as well so maybe I’ll hand over to her in a few years.
“For now I’m taking it as it comes and enjoying every moment.”
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