Tributes have been paid to Amy Carr who died 11 years after she was first diagnosed with a brain tumour.
11:44, 13 Mar 2026
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(Image: @brain_tumour_research/Instagram)
Amy Carr, a former Chelsea and Arsenal footballer, has died at the age of 35 after a long battle with a brain tumour. A former England youth international, Amy represented Arsenal, Chelsea and Reading before her diagnosis in 2015.
She went on to raise almost £30,000 for Brain Tumour Research in 2024 as she tackled the Dublin Marathon for the charity. Last year, Amy was told her illness was terminal and that she had just six to nine months to live.
Brain Tumour Research has led tributes to the former goalkeeper, praising her "incredible strength and determination", reports the Mirror. In a statement, the charity said: "We are deeply saddened to hear that Amy Carr has died following her battle with a brain tumour, aged 35.
"A former England youth international who played for clubs including Chelsea F.C. Women, Arsenal W.F.C. and Reading F.C. Women, Amy showed incredible strength and determination after being diagnosed with a high-grade brain tumour in 2015.
Amy Carr
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Amy Carr was battling with a brain tumour(Image: James Linsell Clark / SWNS)
"In 2024, she ran the Dublin Marathon to raise money for Brain Tumour Research. In total, Amy raised an extraordinary £28,718 to help fund vital research into brain tumours.
"Our thoughts are with Amy’s family, friends and everyone who loved her. We are so grateful for the awareness she raised and the difference she made."
Amy was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015 after an unusual incident with a spider. She had blacked out just at the sight of it and, concerned it was an extreme response, she went to the doctors before an MRI scan revealed a tumour 'the size of a golf ball.'
Speaking to the BBC at the time, she said: "I knew I didn’t like spiders, but blacking out seemed like an extreme response. I’d never reacted that way to anything before."
Amy underwent a craniotomy to remove as much of the tumour as possible, leaving her unable to walk or talk for eight days. She later received radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and extensive physiotherapy to rebuild her mobility and speech - making her eventual marathon achievement all the more remarkable.
In 2024, she ran the Dublin Marathon to raise money for Brain Tumour Research and remarkably raised £28,718 to help fund vital research into brain tumours.
One person commented: "Very sad to learn of this. May Amy's holy soul rest in the sleep of peace," while a separate tribute read: "So sad, so young."
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Amy's life will be celebrated on March 23 in Hertforshire. A JustGiving page for brain tumour research is still open for donations.
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