Nat Panagarry: Loughborough Lightning captain opens up on wife's treatment for cancer

Nat Panagarry has been instrumental for Loughborough this season

Nat Panagarry says leading Loughborough's challenge for Netball Super League honours this season has helped her support wife Katie during her treatment for cancer.

Katie was diagnosed last year and has undergone surgery and chemotherapy.

Returning to play for Loughborough has helped England international Panagarry negotiate the "dark stages".

"I realised that it wouldn't be the best outcome if I shut myself out," she said.

"It could have been easy at a point, when it was a pretty dark stage where I didn't want to do much and just wanted to look after her.

"The only way I could help Katie is if I'm healthy and people made sure I was eating, getting sleep, rest and moving my body as much as I could."

• BBC Radio Leicester's 'Game Night' special on Loughborough netball

Nine months after Katie was diagnosed with stage four clear cell cancer, Panagarry says her wife is "cancer free currently".

"She has gone through major surgery, chemotherapy rounds and at the minute we are out the other end," Panagarry told BBC Radio Leicester.

Panagarry says the demands of playing in the Super League, which will see Loughborough face Manchester Thunder in the semi-finals after the end of the regular season this weekend, has helped her manage her own wellbeing.

She also says there have been times when plans to train with the Lightning have been abandoned so she could return to Katie's side, with her wife's health the "priority" throughout.

"Since the season started in February I got a bit more structure and was here more regularly as Katie was going through chemo at that point," she said.

"We were up to the third round and had done the major stages. It is a season I'd never have expected to have.

"It's made me appreciate being able to move my body as well. As a semi-professional athlete, being able to run around a netball court for 60 minutes is an absolute privilege, having seen what her body has done.

"I appreciate being fit and healthy this season."