A BRAVE football-fanatic schoolgirl is on the ball again — after undergoing an eight-hour back operation.

Alanah Ward, 14, who plays for Port Juniors under-15s, had been suffering from terrible pain for almost a year.
Her mum KarenMarie took her to the GP, who sent her for a series of scans and X-rays.

It was then discovered that she had high-grade spondylolisthesis, where a bone in the spine slips out of position.

In Alanah’s case it had slipped by 54 per cent and the nerves were twisted.

Alanah, of Merrylee Avenue, said: “I felt a tightness in my hamstrings and it gradually got worse.

“When I was walking I had a lot of pain in my lower back”

Despite this she still ploughed on with her beloved football, using Deep Freeze to ease the pain, which amazed medics.
Consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon Enrique Garrido, of the Scottish National Spine Deformity Service, assessing her before the surgery, wrote: “Her walking distance is limited to approximately five-10 minutes after which she has to stop due to thigh pain and numbness.

“Surprisingly she has been able to continue to play football and plays in midfield and is able to sprint during the games.”

KarenMarie, 46, said: “It was like an indent in her back.

“Doctors said it was something she could have been born with or something that had happened.

“The nerves in her back were all mangled up and that was causing the pain.”

The Port High pupil underwent a major operation to fuse the spine, with two rods put into her back at the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh.

Alanah remained in hospital for four days but has made a remarkable recovery.

KarenMarie, a pharmacy delivery driver, said: “I’m so proud of her, she must have a high pain tolerance — I couldn’t have gone through that.”

Medics told the family that Alanah’s condition would have deteriorated without the operation and she would have had to wear a back brace.

Alanah said: “I’m lucky I got the operation when I did.”

The operation was an emotional time for all the family, including Alanah’s dad James and brothers Connor, 19, and Declan, 16.

Karenmarie said: “She went down to theatre at 8.45am and didn’t come back out to 4.30pm, then she didn’t wake up until 8pm because she was sensitive to the anaesthetic and was in a deep sleep.

“I was so worried, especially in the build up to the operation.

“Everything goes through your head.

“I was worried about the possibility that something could go wrong, that she could end up in a wheelchair and that would be her football career over.

“But she has bounced back so well.”

Alanah has returned to Port Juniors to help out with coaching the club’s under-nines, as she is not allowed to take part in competitive sports for six months.

Alanah is also a huge Morton fan and sells programmes at Cappielow, so as a special treat Margaret Vize of Port Glasgow Juniors got in touch with Ton to arrange for her favourite player, Michael Doyle, to present her with the new Morton away top.

Alanah said:  “It was great to meet him.”

Club official Margaret said: “I would like to thank Brian McLaughlin at Morton Community for arranging this, Mikey Doyle for presenting the top and also Keith Wilson at Smiths for supplying the top free of charge.

“Alanah is a great wee footballer and ambassador for Port Glasgow Juniors Community Sports Club.

“All of us wish her a speedy recovery, she is helping out coaching with the wee under-nines girls and is such a dedicated member of the team.”

Alanah’s family want to thank the Port Juniors for their support.