Dozens of current and former Matildas are banding together to raise money for an unsung legend of the game who was recently diagnosed with cancer.
Sally Shipard — who debuted for Australia as a 16-year-old in 2004 and went on to represent her country 64 times — was informed earlier this year that she had a rare form of cancer called mucinous adenocarcinoma, which makes up less than 10 per cent of all ovarian cancers.
A marathon 10-hour surgery and long course of chemotherapy is expected to keep Shipard, who now works as a carpenter and a marriage celebrant, out of action for at least the next six months, if not longer.
The Australian women's football community has flocked to help support Shipard through her recovery, with ex-Matildas team-mate Alicia Ferguson setting up a fundraiser on Friday morning that has already raised over $28,000 on its first day.
Sam Kerr, Lydia Williams, Kyah Simon, Mackenzie Arnold, Tameka Yallop, Emily Van Egmond, Katrina Gorry and Alanna Kennedy are just some of the current Matildas who have chipped in, while many more Matildas alumni, fans, administrators, coaches, and players across the game have contributed what they can.
"Sally is one of the legends of the game, and it's sad to know that the new generation of players didn't get to see her play," Shipard's former Canberra United team-mate Michelle Heyman told ABC Sport.
"She was the Ellie Carpenter of our generation: she was so young when she made the Matildas and was killing it from such a young age.
"She changed the game for younger players coming into the national team, and her leadership and knowledge was just ridiculous.
"I'm so grateful I got to share the field and play with such an incredible player and person.
"She deserves the world and I'm so glad that everyone's jumping on board and giving what they can, because the next four to six months are going to be tough. But nothing is going to stop her."
Shipard herself knew the power of football as a platform to shine a light on social causes.
As a midfielder with Canberra in the old W-League, she participated in Australian football's first ever pride initiative, wearing rainbow socks to raise visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community in the game.
She also organised her own Movember campaign where she invited donors to draw a moustache on her face every day in lieu of growing her own facial hair (even wearing one during Canberra's matches), with all money raised throughout November going to support men's health charities.
Further, Shipard is one of the few national team players who has spoken openly about her other health battles, including with the eating disorder that threatened to cut her football career short when she temporarily retired from the game aged 20 in 2008.
However, she staged a comeback the following year, going on to help the Matildas win Australia's first ever Asian Cup in 2010 as well as playing in her second consecutive Women's World Cup in 2011.
Shipard also found success at club level, helping Canberra United win the W-League's first Premiership/Championship double in 2011-12; a season in which she was also awarded the Julie Dolan Medal and Football Federation Australia's Female Player of the Year.
"Where do you start? Sally is probably one of the best people around," former Matildas and Canberra team-mate Caitlin Munoz said.
"She's so caring, she's so giving. She's a massive part of football in Australia and here in Canberra. Hearing about it is devastating.
"Sal's done a lot for different charities throughout her football career and beyond, so to see not just the football community but people outside of that reach into their pockets and help out is just beautiful.
"She's had her own battles within football and outside of it, but this is just going to be another one that she's gonna crush."
You can donate to Shipard's Go Fund Me page here.
