Savannah DeMelo Reveals Battle Against Illness and Confidence in Her Return to High Performance
Racing Louisville FC midfielder Savannah DeMelo shared details about her diagnosis of Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism, revealing the challenges she faced last year and expressing optimism about her ability to maintain a high level of performance on the field.
The focus was on her health during the match against Bay FC on March 22, where she experienced dizziness and chest tightness. DeMelo recounted that her heart rate did not decrease and she had difficulty breathing for several minutes, which led her to sit down and request medical assistance. She was stretchered off the field and transported to a local hospital.
The diagnosis of Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism occurred last fall. DeMelo described how the symptoms affected his game, feeling his heart race and experiencing shortness of breath, which prevented him from keeping up and making clear decisions.
“Playing a 90-minute match felt unbearable. I would get to minute 25 and feel like my heart was beating really fast, like it was going to come out of my chest. I would run out of breath, out of shape. I really didn’t know what was happening.”
Savannah DeMelo
After a standout 2023 season in the NWSL, which led to her selection and a starting position on the USWNT team for the World Cup, DeMelo noticed changes in her well-being. In September, her Oura ring recorded a resting heart rate of 85 beats per minute, almost double her normal.
DeMelo’s mother, a nurse, noticed a visible enlargement of the thyroid and recommended blood tests, which led to the diagnosis. Hyperthyroidism, a rare condition that speeds up bodily functions, causes symptoms such as rapid heart rate and weight loss. Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease, can cause hyperthyroidism.
Dr. Jennifer Daily, Racing Louisville’s chief medical officer, highlighted that DeMelo is the first athlete in her experience with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease in this age range. Genetic factors, such as her mother’s hypothyroidism, also influenced the diagnosis.
DeMelo did not participate in the last game of the 2024 season as a precautionary measure. While he acknowledges that the diagnosis did not directly affect his performance, it did influence his energy and ability to maintain a consistent game.
After the diagnosis, DeMelo was referred to an endocrinologist, began taking medication to reduce her heart rate and control her thyroid. Her medical team monitored her before she left Louisville for the preseason. She was called up for the USWNT’s January training camp, and her blood tests and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels returned normal.
Currently, DeMelo meets monthly with her endocrinologist and undergoes blood tests every three weeks. The incident with Bay FC revealed an imbalance due to her medication.
The player now takes one pill daily instead of three and skips Sundays. Thyroid removal surgery is a possible long-term solution, but DeMelo hopes to avoid it.
“This is a very important diagnosis, because it is chronic and, therefore, it is something for which you will need frequent visits to the office, frequent laboratory tests, and those things are stressful. And the medications can have side effects.”
Dr. Jennifer Daily
DeMelo is learning about his diagnosis and how it will affect his life, but feels he is regaining his energy and confidence. He believes he can make better decisions, dribble, and strive on the field, remembering his successful 2023.
The player feels optimistic about her ability to regain her game level and become a constant threat on the field again.
