Former Chelsea and Arsenal star Amy Carr dies at 35 after long battle with brain tumour

Former England youth international Amy Carr has sadly passed away at the age of 35 after fighting a brain tumour for more than a decade. Carr, who once played for top clubs such as Chelsea F.C. Women, Arsenal W.F.C., and Reading F.C. Women, inspired many people through her courage and determination during her illness. She was first diagnosed with a high-grade brain tumour in 2015. Despite the challenges, Carr continued to raise awareness and support research related to the disease.

Even while dealing with her illness, Carr remained determined to help others. In 2024, she completed the Dublin Marathon and raised £28,718 for Brain Tumour Research. Her effort impressed many supporters and fellow athletes. Friends, fans, and former teammates have since shared emotional tributes, remembering her strength and positive spirit. Carr had been battling the condition for 11 years before her passing.

Amy Carr’s long and brave fight against illness

Amy Carr’s health problems first began in 2015 after she suddenly fainted when she saw a spider. The unusual reaction worried her and led doctors to run further tests. An MRI scan later revealed a tumour in her brain that doctors described as being roughly the size of a golf ball.



Speaking earlier to the BBC, Carr explained that she had always been uncomfortable around spiders. However, she felt something was wrong because losing consciousness seemed far too extreme compared to her normal reactions.

She recalled that she had never responded so strongly to anything before and that the incident felt unusual. After that moment, she said she began to realise that something serious might be happening with her health.

Within the next 18 months, Carr experienced two more episodes where she fainted, including one at a gym. Doctors later performed a craniotomy to remove as much of the tumour as possible. The surgery was extremely difficult and left her unable to walk or speak for eight days.

Following the operation, Carr went through radiotherapy and chemotherapy. She also needed long periods of physiotherapy to regain her movement and speech. Her recovery required determination and patience.

Despite those challenges, Carr still managed to run the Dublin Marathon years later to raise money for research. The achievement showed her remarkable resilience.

Carr also represented England women’s national under-19 football team 16 times at youth level during her playing career. Her celebration of life will be held in Hertfordshire on March 23.





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