Former Kent Women and England International cricketer Susie Wilson-Rowe (née Rowe) has sadly been diagnosed with Stage Four non-small cell lung cancer (Exon 20 insertion mutation), which has spread to her spine and lymph nodes.
Susie was diagnosed earlier this year, whilst on maternity leave, after struggling with months of pain in her ribs and scapula area.
The pain meant she struggled to cough, sneeze, and lift her son, Zach, and even had flareups which left her struggling to breathe.
Physios put the pain down to a muscle strain, but Susie knew something wasn’t right and went to the GP who suggested an X-Ray.
Further tests and scans revealed the cause was a tumour in the left lung, which had metastasised to the spine and lymph nodes. More testing revealed she had a rare form of non-small cell lung cancer called Exon 20.
She shares her story to encourage others to listen to their bodies and push for answers when something doesn’t feel right, reminding everyone that early detection can make all the difference.
Cricket has been a lifelong passion for Susie, from her beginnings on the Kent Pathway in the Under 11s, to representing her country, and more recently, driving the growth of women’s cricket at Sevenoaks Vine CC, where her team won the Kent Women’s Premier League this season under her leadership.
In all, Wilson-Rowe made 79 appearances in total for Kent Women.
The 38-year-old was a part of five Women’s County Championship title-winning sides (2006, ’07, ’09, ’11, ’12) and two Kent teams that won the National Women’s T20 competition in 2011 & ’12.
After her return to the county in 2020 after playing regional cricket for South East Stars, the right-hand batter also contributed towards tournament wins the Vitality Women’s County T20 South East Group and the Women’s London Championship in 2021.
In 2021, she received her county cap (number 36) from the Club in recognition of her achievements for the Horses.
Lewisham-born Rowe also made 23 appearances for England Women between 2011 & 2013 in limited overs cricket, as well as featuring for London Spirit in the first edition of The Hundred.
She is currently undergoing an intensive course of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which has been successful so far, with challenging long-term side effects.
Although rest and recovery are important, she continues to face every day with courage, doing her best to live a normal life and has even returned to work, while still enduring treatment every three weeks.
Susie has given so much to cricket, as a player, coach, mentor, and friend; inspiring countless others with her strength, kindness, and relentless drive.
Kent Cricket and the wider cricket network are rallying together to help ease the heavy financial burden her battle with cancer brings.
Not only for ongoing treatment, but also for the significant costs related to managing side effects, increased health insurance premiums (her current treatment is not available on the NHS), and long-term care. Looking ahead, there is also a potential next-line treatment that offers new hope, but it is not yet approved by UK medical authorities and therefore not available through the NHS or UK health insurers.
If you are able to contribute, please know that every donation, no matter the size, will make a real difference. Just as importantly, please share this appeal within your cricket, sporting, and wider community networks.
Susie has expressed that a portion of the fundraising efforts will be donated to the Exon 20 Group, an organisation doing incredible work to assist patients and researchers to find new treatments for this rare form of lung cancer.
She is also deeply passionate about raising awareness of the growing and concerning trend of young, female non-smokers being diagnosed with lung cancer, a group often overlooked in traditional perceptions of the disease.
She hopes to shine a light on any success stories, encourage early detection, and help drive progress towards better treatments and outcomes for those suffering from lung cancer.
Your love, support, and generosity will help Susie, Jen, and their young son Zach continue this fight with hope and dignity, surrounded by the strength of the cricketing family she has done so much for.
In addition, a Kent Women Legends Quiz Night fundraising evening will take place on Saturday 8 November at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence. Teams of between 6-12 people can enter at a cost of £10 per person (pay on the night).
Register here for the Kent Women Legends Quiz Night
Picture supplied by Kent Cricket.