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Great Heart-Warming Story!
Great Heart-Warming Story!
A footballer whose career was hit by a rare life-threatening illness will return to the pitch this weekend.
Tuesday 09 July 19 I 08:26:09 I Photo by

Travis Munn has signed for East Midlands Counties League club Borrowash Victoria.

 

Munn was a full-time professional playing for Boston United, having previously played for Mansfield Town.

 

In 2015, after having always been among the fitter players at his club, his fitness unexpectedly began to decline rapidly.

 

He began to experience difficulty breathing, lost weight and his skin began to tighten causing restricted movement.

 

His fingers started going blue and one finger developed an ulcer which became infected.

 

As his symptoms worsened, he was eventually referred to a rheumatologist.

 

After a year of uncertainty about what was causing his health to deteriorate, he was eventually diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a life-threatening condition with no known cure.

 

Whilst reading up on his condition he came across an article about a marathon runner who had returned to running following a stem cell transplant.

 

Recognising the urgency of having the treatment before the condition took over his body Travis approached his hospital and after an initial setback it was agreed that he could undergo tests to see if he could have the treatment without putting himself in additional danger.

 

“It was heart-breaking for my kids to see me that sick,” Munn said in an interview for scleroderma website SRUK.co.uk “I’d rather go out fighting than not.”

 

The treatment was carried out through November and December 2018 with an initial session of chemotherapy, another hospital visit for the stem cells to be removed and then he was eventually admitted to hospital for a month for the stem cell transplant.

 

“Six months ago, I was saying goodbye to my wife and kids thinking I might not see them again,” Munn said when describing what he went through in order to get the treatment he needed. “The thought of playing again is literally a dream come true, whether it’s Sunday League or here at Borrowash.

 

“Thinking about playing again gave me the strength and determination to get through the hell I have just been through. Hopefully I can get back up to full speed and help manager Marc Sargeant get the team where he wants them to be.

 

“Marc and his team made me feel really at home and have been really supportive with my health. Marc’s views and plans for the team are something special, something I want to be a part of, and my home is literally thirty seconds from the ground, so it is home to me. I had a few good offers, but I believe this is the best decision for me and my football”.

 

Adam Taylor

 

Copyright Non League Today. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to the Non League Today website as the source and a link back to the Non League Today website.
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Great Heart-Warming Story!
Great Heart-Warming Story!
Tuesday 09 July 19 I 08:26:09
Photo by

Travis Munn has signed for East Midlands Counties League club Borrowash Victoria.

 

Munn was a full-time professional playing for Boston United, having previously played for Mansfield Town.

 

In 2015, after having always been among the fitter players at his club, his fitness unexpectedly began to decline rapidly.

 

He began to experience difficulty breathing, lost weight and his skin began to tighten causing restricted movement.

 

His fingers started going blue and one finger developed an ulcer which became infected.

 

As his symptoms worsened, he was eventually referred to a rheumatologist.

 

After a year of uncertainty about what was causing his health to deteriorate, he was eventually diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a life-threatening condition with no known cure.

 

Whilst reading up on his condition he came across an article about a marathon runner who had returned to running following a stem cell transplant.

 

Recognising the urgency of having the treatment before the condition took over his body Travis approached his hospital and after an initial setback it was agreed that he could undergo tests to see if he could have the treatment without putting himself in additional danger.

 

“It was heart-breaking for my kids to see me that sick,” Munn said in an interview for scleroderma website SRUK.co.uk “I’d rather go out fighting than not.”

 

The treatment was carried out through November and December 2018 with an initial session of chemotherapy, another hospital visit for the stem cells to be removed and then he was eventually admitted to hospital for a month for the stem cell transplant.

 

“Six months ago, I was saying goodbye to my wife and kids thinking I might not see them again,” Munn said when describing what he went through in order to get the treatment he needed. “The thought of playing again is literally a dream come true, whether it’s Sunday League or here at Borrowash.

 

“Thinking about playing again gave me the strength and determination to get through the hell I have just been through. Hopefully I can get back up to full speed and help manager Marc Sargeant get the team where he wants them to be.

 

“Marc and his team made me feel really at home and have been really supportive with my health. Marc’s views and plans for the team are something special, something I want to be a part of, and my home is literally thirty seconds from the ground, so it is home to me. I had a few good offers, but I believe this is the best decision for me and my football”.

 

Adam Taylor

 

Copyright Non League Today. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to the Non League Today website as the source and a link back to the Non League Today website.
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