Australian football star Kyra Cooney-Cross has shared a heart-wrenching and beautiful family moment, revealing her mother Jess married her long-term partner in a hospital ceremony after a devastating cancer diagnosis.
A Bittersweet Hospital Wedding Ceremony
The Cooney-Cross family's world was turned upside down when Jess, an occupational therapist and mother of four girls, was diagnosed with Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer. The cancer has spread to her liver and gallbladder. Facing an uncertain future, Jess and her partner Andy decided not to wait any longer, tying the knot in a poignant ceremony at the hospital on January 15, 2026.
"My beautiful mum and my amazing stepdad got married at the hospital after being engaged for four years," Cooney-Cross wrote in an emotional social media post. "The ceremony was perfect and beautiful, but also heartbreaking." The 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder described witnessing a "love as pure and genuine as theirs, truly one in a million," calling her mother and new stepfather soulmates.
Football Community Rallies With Overwhelming Support
Cooney-Cross rushed home to Australia from London with the full support of her club, English giants Arsenal, after her mum's diagnosis. The football world has since wrapped its arms around the family. A GoFundMe campaign has raised almost $170,000 to support them, while her Matildas teammates and global football stars flooded her wedding announcement post with love, garnering nearly 50,000 likes in hours.
In a powerful show of solidarity, Arsenal players, including fellow Australians Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord, warmed up for a match in Cooney-Cross's No.32 jersey. Fans held up 'we love you Kyra and Jess' signs in the 32nd minute, and even opposing manager Marc Skinner of Manchester United sent a heartfelt public message of support.
Treatment Underway as Family Hopes for Time at Home
Jess is now undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy with the goal of leaving hospital and regaining some normality in life. "The hope is that treatment will allow her to spend some time at home while she continues to fight this cancer," Cooney-Cross said, expressing profound gratitude for the public's kindness.
The local community on Victoria's surf coast also showed up, hosting a 'Rock Cancer' benefit concert the day after the wedding to raise funds for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Australia. Cooney-Cross has missed two Arsenal matches, but manager Renee Slegers stated unequivocally, "There's bigger things in life. Kyra is where she needs to be right now." The midfielder's focus remains on family as her mother bravely fights the incurable disease.
