Beth Mead: Arsenal winger discusses support of ovarian cancer charity after loss of her mother

"Perspective is a wonderful thing," Beth Mead says from the gardens of Arsenal's Colney training base, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports about her late mother June, who passed away from ovarian cancer just over a year ago.

"My mum shines through me. She was so bright in the hardest moments of her life - why should I ever feel bad?"

The Arsenal forward has been doing battle across multiple fronts in March. This weekend, the Gunners face Chelsea in the Conti Cup final, seeking revenge for the disappointment they suffered at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago, where a 3-1 loss effectively curtailed their WSL title hopes.

Sunday marks what is likely to be Arsenal's only chance for silverware this season - this time with Mead in tow, after she missed the 2023 final with a long-term knee injury.

Simultaneously, the England international has been triumphantly leading a charity campaign in the name of her late mother, to help raise vital funds for ovarian cancer research.

Alongside Arsenal team-mates, who the winger says have "supported her endlessly", Mead has travelled 100km, aiming to celebrate the memory of those cruelly lost to ovarian cancer, while also pushing to fund research that will help to make the disease more survivable for future sufferers.

"It would be easy to box it away, but the type of person I am and the type of person my mum was, I want to give back the best I can in her name. I want to make her proud and push for other women," Mead says.

"She sat and told me, my brother and my dad she never wanted us to rest on our laurels. She wanted us to live life and help others. Hopefully by me being an ambassador for ovarian cancer I can help do that."

The 28-year-old, who has spoken previously about managing her lengthy injury