Senior Lecturer in English University of Kansas. Editor Cottonwood Magazine and Press. Writer, Scholar, Poet. 19th century British Lit & Sport Literature
Joined October 2012
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Phil Wedge retweeted
Jennifer Beattie was told she had breast cancer on a Thursday. Three days later she was scoring for Arsenal.
She was not supposed to be on a football pitch that weekend. She was supposed to be at home, processing the news she had just received. In October 2020, at the age of 29, the Scotland and Arsenal defender was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her world stopped. But her heart kept beating for the game.
Instead of hiding away, she pulled on the red and white shirt and played against Brighton. She didn’t just play. She scored in a 5-0 win. It was an act of pure, stubborn defiance — a statement that breast cancer might have invaded her body, but it would not take her life.
Jen Beattie was born into a sporting dynasty. Her father, John, was a former Scotland and British Lions rugby union star. Her brother, Johnnie, also played international rugby. From a young age she was a warrior. She captained her local boys’ team. By 16 she was a full Scotland international. She joined Arsenal in 2009 and won four league titles, two FA Cups and two League Cups in her first spell. She went to France, then Manchester City, winning five more trophies including the FA Cup in 2019. She was at the peak of her powers. Then came the diagnosis.
The breast cancer was found during a routine check. Her father later revealed that her instinct to get it thoroughly investigated might have saved her life. She underwent surgery to remove the tumour. She endured gruelling radiotherapy. But she refused to step away from the pitch. She continued to train. She continued to play for Arsenal and Scotland. She did it while her body was fighting a war.
She kept her battle private at first, but eventually spoke out. She became an advocate for cancer research and awareness. She wanted other women to check themselves. She wanted them to know that a diagnosis does not have to be a death sentence. In 2021 she was awarded the Helen Rollason Award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for her bravery and her work raising awareness. In 2023 she was appointed an MBE for services to football and charity. She signed a new contract with Arsenal months after being told she was cancer-free. She played at the 2019 World Cup. She won the Continental Cup with Arsenal in 2023.
In January 2025, at the age of 33, she announced her retirement from professional football. She walked away after a 16-year career, with 14 major trophies, 143 caps for Scotland, and a legacy that transcends the sport. She said: “It made me realise the bigger picture of football — it’s not everything. What really matters is health, happiness, friends and family.”
Jen Beattie was a footballer. She was a centre-back. She was a champion. But her greatest victory was not the league titles or the FA Cups. It was the day she walked out onto a pitch, three days after being told she had breast cancer, and scored a goal for Arsenal.
That is the real story of Jen Beattie. Not the trophies. The courage.
Phil Wedge retweeted
Canada here.
Sending a huge big blue wave all the way from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of Mexico!
Go Dems!!!
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Good luck to my son Roy and his team running the Mount Hood to Coast Relay (198 miles) this weekend!
Phil Wedge retweeted
I’m happy to share this because I don’t care what side of the aisle you sit on, this is a fact.
Speaker Mike Johnson this is for you.
Concerning Social Security payments, my contributions were made for over 50 years on every salary I received. From my first part time job until I retired. I always had a job.
The Social Security check is now (or soon will be) referred to as a "Federal Benefit Payment?" I'll be part of the one percent to forward this.I am forwarding it because it touches a nerve in me, and I hope it will in you. Please keep passing it on until everyone in our country has read it.
The government is now referring to our Social Security checks as a "Federal Benefit Payment." This isn't a benefit. It is our money paid out of our earned income! Not only did we all contribute to Social Security but our employers did too.
It totaled 15% of our income before taxes.
Congress took our money and used it elsewhere. They forgot (oh yes, they knew) that it was OUR money they were taking.
They didn't have a referendum to ask us if we wanted to lend the money to them. And they didn't pay interest on the debt they assumed. And recently they've told us that the money won't support us for very much longer. And now, to add insult to injury, they're calling it a "benefit", as if we never worked to earn every penny of it.
Just because they borrowed the money doesn't mean that our investments were a charity!
Let's take a stand. We have earned our right to Social Security and Medicare. Demand that our legislators bring some sense into our government.
Find a way to keep Social Security and Medicare going for the sake of that 92% of our population who need it. Then call it what it is: Our Earned Retirement Income.
99% of people won't forward this to their timelines…..will you?
Please, for the sake of our country, repost this.