'Heartbroken' player's emotional video pays for £10k medical bill

Exeter lock Charlie Willett has successfully raised enough funds to pay the hefty medical bill she was left with after suffering a horrible knee injury when representing the Ireland rugby league team earlier this month. In an emotional video that she described as the hardest she ever had to record, the 27-year-old explained she had never felt so let down by sport.

Appearing on crutches in tearful TikTok footage, Willett said: “I tore my meniscus in two places and dislocated my knee playing Test match rugby league for Ireland and now I have a £10,000 medical bill that I can’t pay.

“Rugby League Ireland had told me before I had agreed to play any Test matches that there was medical cover. I am a full-time athlete so it was really important to me but now that I am injured, they have said they are actually not going to pay for it.

“They have offered me a pretty small amount of money towards it but it by no means covers any sort of surgery. I am just heartbroken. My only option at the moment is a gofundme page. I don’t know why but I feel really embarrassed saying this, but I’ll put the link in my bio if anyone wants to help. I know I am going to come back stronger from this but right now it’s really hard.”

On her gofundmepage, Willett added: “Exeter Chiefs have supported my initial rehab process and will provide the necessary care post-surgery. As this injury was sustained whilst playing for Ireland, Exeter Chiefs cannot assist further.

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“Last year I gave up my full-time career as a sports lawyer to pursue rugby. Alongside full-time training, I work as a freelancer and collaborator with multiple brands to amplify the stories within women’s rugby. In the few weeks since the injury, I have lost more than £1,500 worth of work as a result and until I am mobile these losses are likely to continue.

“Despite physical, emotional and financial distress, I am hopeful that I will make a full return to elite rugby and show more young girls and women the life-changing power of sports.”

Having started the fund-raiser at the start of this week, Willett woke up on Saturday to learn that the £10,000 target had been surpassed as 559 donations had committed a total of £10,527.