Pregnant Lauren Holiday will have brain surgery to remove benign tumor

Lauren Holiday has a benign tumor on the right side of her brain near her orbital socket, NOLA.com has reported. Holiday and her husband Jrue discovered the tumor in late June after she began having headaches and went in for an MRI.

Holiday must wait until she delivers her child before doctors can operate on her brain tumor; according to the source, that means waiting at least until the end of September or early October, depending on whether they decide to induce a slightly early labor or not. In the meantime the tumor is pressing on a nerve, causing numbness on the right side of Holiday’s face.

Lauren Holiday retired last year after successfully helping the USWNT win a third World Cup. She was widely considered one of the best players in the world at the time and also had gold medals from the 2012 and 2008 Olympics, as well as two championships with her NWSL club, FC Kansas City.

Holiday’s husband, who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, will sit out at least part of the NBA season in order to look after his wife and child while she recovers from surgery. The Pelicans have offered their support for his decision and granted him indefinite leave while keeping him on the active roster. The couple chose to let Jrue speak about the issue while Holiday herself focuses on her health.

Our best wishes from Stars and Stripes FC to Holiday and her family.