The Adelaide Football Club welcomed a special guest into the rooms after the win over the Kangaroos. Here is Lyn Ball’s heartfelt story as told by her son Darryl.

Lyn Ball has been an avid Adelaide Crows supporter since their inception to the AFL. The passion for her beloved Crows was further enhanced last weekend by the generosity of the club, the coaching staff and the players that provided her the ultimate mother’s day present – a chance to meet her heroes.

Lyn was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45 (1991) and after treatment went into remission for the next five years. Knowing that the cancer had attacked her lymph glands the chance of recurrence was almost a certainty. Just one week after her 50th birthday her fears were recognised as she was diagnosed with secondary cancer, this time in the stomach and ovaries.

The past 10 years have seen countless sessions of chemotherapy and trips abroad including Mexico and Germany chasing a myriad of potential cures. Whilst none of these treatments have cured her they have extended her life by many years and allowed her to cling onto hope that a cure would one day be available. Over the 15 years of her illness she has been an inspiration to many other cancer victims and has seen many succumb to the disease right before her eyes. There’s not a day that goes by where somebody new rings her for advice and inspiration. Imagine how hard it must be for Lyn to speak to so many people about a new illness for them, only to see the pass on sometimes just months after their initial contact.

Over the past two years the cancer has spread to her lungs, liver and kidneys with further removal of the tumours being impossible due to the sheer number and location of them. Late last year she decided to extend the mortgage on her unit in Brooklyn Park and book a family holiday for her son and daughter to travel to Italy for two weeks. Two months before the trip she began to experience persistent and ongoing headaches and after more tests and MRI scans the medical experts found multiple tumours in her brain. As a result of these tumours Lyn was advised that she was unable to fly (or even drive) due to the high risk of having a seizure. The news devastated her, as it was just two weeks before she was due to fly overseas on possibly her last ever family holiday. When told the news the very first words that came out were “how am I going to get to the Crows games?”

Over the next few days Lyn had to cancel the trip to Italy and lost most of the money, as her condition did not allow her to purchase travel insurance. The only option this time was to have radiotherapy on her brain to reduce the tumours and symptoms that accompanied them. The week before Mother’s Day she endured five treatments of radiotherapy but still wanted to travel to Melbourne my family, including her youngest two grandchildren, for Mother’s Day. Her daughter Leanne had decided to drive her mum over to Melbourne the day after the treatment had finished and arrived in Melbourne on Saturday.

Unbeknown to Lyn, both Leanne and myself had written a letter to the Adelaide Football Club asking if there was a possibility of getting tickets for the Adelaide v Kangaroos game. Almost immediately after the letter was received Leanne received a call from the club suggesting that they would love to assist. Not only did they offer tickets to the game but they also provided tickets for the change rooms after the match – her chance to meet her beloved team.

After the game Lyn went to the rooms accompanied by her son and daughter. Upon arrival John Reid and Neil Craig both approached Lyn and introduced themselves. These two guys couldn’t do enough to make Lyn feel more welcome. Neil Craig asked Lyn who her favourite players were and whilst it was hard to narrow it down she asked if she could meet Mark Ricciuto, Tyson Edwards and Andrew McLeod (in no particular order)!!! Andrew had already approached her as soon as she walked into the first door of the change rooms with no prompting from anyone in the club. This was a Herculean effort considering it was just minutes after the boys had walked from the field. Neil immediately swung into action and before Lyn knew it she was surrounded by her stars. They were all more than happy to pose for photos and have a chat to an adoring fan, genuinely showing an interest in Lyn and her plight against her illness. Whilst none of the players would have known the full extent of Lyn’s history or condition they completely overwhelmed her with their friendliness and compassion.

John Reid then took the family into the meeting room where they were followed by the team and the coaching staff. Neil Craig then introduced Lyn and her family to the team and asked them all to sign the Crows guernsey that Leanne and Darryl had given her as a Mother’s Day gift. Lyn was sworn to secrecy as Neil went through the post game analysis with the players. Once the meeting had finished there was a last opportunity to get a quick photo with Tyson Edwards after the post game warm down. Lyn told Tyson that she desperately wanted a photo, as he was her favourite player. Tyson replied ‘I bet you say that to all the boys!!!” If you are reading this Tyson she is in fact telling the truth – she love’s your work! With one final look around Lyn and her children left with the most amazing memories for what could very well be her last mother’s day. Lyn said to her kids on the way back home “I may not be relaxing on the Isle of Capri but who cares, I got to meet my beloved Crows”!

In this day and age it is so refreshing that a professional football club can show enormous compassion for one of its members, offering the chance to make somebody so incredibly happy. They didn’t have to do anything and Leanne and Darryl (whilst hopeful) weren’t expecting anything special. But special it was. They have given precious memories to a woman that has fought courageously for a quarter of her lifetime. When many others would have given up she has taken this thing head on and lived way past the experts expectations. Whilst it is still uncertain how much time Lyn has left there is one thing left for certain. If the Crows continue with the form they are currently showing Lyn will do her utmost to hang around and witness one more crack at the flag.

Lyn will be celebrating her 60th birthday this year with her friends and family later next month and it will still be the topic of discussion.

My sister and I would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the club, the official and the players for this once in a lifetime opportunity. It has lifted mum’s spirits incredibly and she is certainly still on a high. Leanne actually supports the Swans but was absolutely overwhelmed with everything that Neil and his team did for our mother (don’t worry, there is still hope of converting her after this weekend). I have lived in Melbourne for the past eight years but am still very much a fan of the Crows. On a final note it was fantastic for me being there to meet some of my biggest heroes as well. But I know I speak on behalf of my sister when I say that our biggest hero is the one we introduced you all to yesterday – a fan, a mother and an inspiration to us all by the name of Lyn Ball.

Darryl Ball

Note: Another mum was invited to join the players to sing the song after the win. We will publish a story about her experience.