It was a scary moment during a match between Bay FC and Racing Louisville FC on Mar. 22. Savannah DeMelo, star of Racing Louisville and USWNT player, went to the ground and felt both chest pain and dizziness. She left the game in the first half.
She missed around a month of playing time and has only returned to form for Racing the last week or so. She now is going public for the first time about what occurred. She revealed to ESPN.com that last fall she was diagnosed with both Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism.
She began to have issues late last season and after going to a physician, she was diagnosed after the 2024 NSWL season.
"Playing a 90-minute game felt unbearable," DeMelo told ESPN. "I would get to maybe the 25th minute, and I felt like my heart was just like beating so fast, like out of my chest.
Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder that can cause hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is rare and speeds up functions in the body and causing rapid heart rate. During the game against Bay FC, her rate had increased.
Demelo was called up for her first USWNT camp since her appearance 2023 World Cup appearance. Her bloodwork came back normal at that time.
Now, Savannah DeMelo is working through her diagnosis while continuing to play for both NWSL and national club.
DeMelo takes a daily pill and gets bloodwork and meets her with endocrinologist on a consistence basis. Surgery on her thyroid may be an option, but she is hoping to avoid that.
She had a breakout 2023 season for both the NWSL and national team. She scored eight goals for Racing Louisville and started in the opening World Cup match in 2023 against Vietnam. The women won the game 3-0.
Now as she works through her diagnosis she is hoping to get back to where she was in 2023.
"Maybe I'm not scoring as much, or I have a couple assists, but my game has always been to be dangerous and to drive at players, get fouled, get crosses in, all those things," said the 27-year-old.
Over the weekend, she scored the deciding goal in an upset win for Racing. In the 56th minute of the game in Angel City, she put up Racing up 3-1. They would go onto win the game 3-2.
Now as DeMelo continues to work through her new diagnosis, she should be gaining more confidence each game. If she gets back to 2023 it could be a danger for any team, she faces both nationally and internationally.