From being diagnosed with retinoblastoma to representing England on the international stage, Adam Lione’s shares his story with us.
Can you tell us about your retinoblastoma diagnosis?
I was diagnosed at 16 weeks old, and early symptoms were that I could not be laid flat from birth and had to be held upright. My pupil then went white. My parents took me to see several doctors who just believed I was a whiny baby; it was only by luck when my Dad had to go to A&E after something went in his eye at work that the doctor suggested we went to Moorfields Eye Hospital immediately. With my situation now reaching a critical point, my left eye was removed the next day. However, five tumours were also found in my right eye, so I had radiotherapy which removed one tumour and shrunk the others. Another tumour came around the age of 1, which I had cryotherapy to treat. This reoccurred at the age of 2 and 3 years old, and around the age of 4, I had a radium plaque, which, at the second attempt, thankfully stabilised the tumours.
What was the result of your treatment?
My left eye was removed – visually impaired right eye but stable.
What inspired you to take up football, and how did you get involved in the sport? Have you had to adapt in any way?
I had watched football from a young age, but I vividly remember watching the 2002 FA Cup final with my Dad, where Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-0. I remember the feeling of excitement watching Ray Parlour and Freddie Ljungberg score amazing goals and being blown away by the thrill of watching someone you support win in a massive game. This then inspired me to embrace football, having been involved in grassroots football for a few years by that point. I wouldn’t say I’ve had to make major adaptations, having had the same level of sight from my infant years. However, I purposely played in positions that accommodated me best, playing on the left wing so that I could see the whole pitch easier.
Can you tell us about your footballing career, and your greatest sporting achievements?
My football journey started at a grassroots club called Essex Royals, based in Wickford. I started at a very young age, around 7. I played for a couple of teams in my school years, representing my school and trialling for Southend United, Colchester United and Leyton Orient. I then went on to play for Hullbridge Sports during Sixth Form and then played for the University of Worcester in both football and futsal (the variation of football we play for England). I represented the University’s fourth and first football teams and founded the futsal society to push myself to play regularly and develop my skills for England. I now play for Braintree Futsal in the mainstream National Futsal Series and Scorpions Futsal in the Partially Sighted League.
My pathway into Disability and Visually Impaired football started playing in visually impaired tournaments for Arsenal when I was 10-13. These were fundamental years of my love of football. It was a small league consisting of Arsenal, Tottenham, Charlton, Crystal Palace and others, playing against each other a handful of times a year whilst training once a month. Having the love for football that I did, I also trained with Tottenham, despite being a devoted Arsenal fan!
However, my journey to playing for England started with an invitation to a Playground to Podium day – effectively a Paralympic Sport Taster Day. Then, at the age of 15, I was quite dismissive of disability sport. My previous experience was enjoyable, but I always felt as if I was “too good to play.” I attended merely as an excuse to get out of school, as I didn’t overly enjoy school. On the day, I tried out different sports, but naturally, I was drawn to the football station. From that, I was invited to play with a pan-disability (all impairments playing against each other) football team called the Rochford Disability Football Academy. With them, I played in the Essex League, winning the league on a few occasions and also played in fixtures against Chelsea’s pan-disability team at Cobham, amongst other experiences.
I was fortunate to be coached named Bob Pointer. He noticed my talent and arranged for me to attend a trial for the England Partially Sighted team… something I didn’t even know existed at the time. At 16, I attended the trial and was invited to the first-ever Development Squad camp at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.
And from there, my current 14-year England career began…
My key achievements are:
Playing in three World Cup finals – scoring a hat trick in the most recent one v Ukraine
Featuring on the England Cap Wall at St Georges Park for playing over 50 times.
Featuring in the England Kit Launch in 2024 alongside Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Beth Mead and many others!
Winning the FA Disability Cup three times.
Can you tell us about playing for England?
Partially Sighted football is played under the rules of Futsal – 5-a side, indoors on a court similar to a handball court. Unlike blind football, which is often seen in the Paralympics, we do not play with blindfolds or a ball with ball bearings, and the types of visual impairment are extremely varied.
I’ve played in the Men’s Senior Partially Sighted Team for 12 years as of February 2025. My first tournament was in February 2013, a World Championships in Japan, in which we came third. I was initially only selected as a standby player but was called up to the squad due to some injuries to other players. I have gone on to play nearly 60 times for England, in eight different countries, playing in three World Cup Finals, scoring a hat-trick in our most recent final in Birmingham 2023.
Playing for England has given me more than I can describe in written form. It’s allowed me to fulfil my dreams of playing football at international level in major tournaments and also a group of best mates that have all gone through adversity and trauma in different ways, but a space in which everyone is accepted for how they are and an understanding of everyone’s different struggles. My early years in the squad truly played a large significance in accepting myself for what I went through, what I struggled with and what life can still give despite it.
Our key competitors are Spain and Ukraine. Spain is a very strong nation for Futsal and has a long heritage of the sport – whilst Ukraine is well funded and supported by their federation and have always been a strong nation in our sport.
We train twice a month, often at the home of all England teams – St. Georges Park – and have major tournaments (Worlds or Euros) once a year and play a series of international friendlies a couple of times a year.
What advice would you give to parents of children who have had retinoblastoma or those who have had it themselves?
No advice can make the experience any easier, for that, I’m sure. For the parents, I would say to first try to come to terms with what they have been through themselves. The experience of going through retinoblastoma can be as hard on the parents as it is for the child, and I think those experiences can sit with you for life. It’s very natural to believe that the best way to protect your child is to wrap them in cotton wool in fear of them becoming ill again, feeling different, bullied at school etc… all completely understandable worries. However, I believe the best thing my parents did for me was to treat me like a completely normal child, going to a mainstream school, mainstream sport and doing all the things a child who hasn’t suffered from retinoblastoma would do. That may sound like a head-in-the-sand approach, but I believe it has allowed me to feel “as normal” as I can and feel settled in the world. I would, however, have difficult conversations with your child (at the right age) when possible, about their sight, how they feel about things, and what they believe their level of sight is like. I would keep conversations with others about retinoblastoma in front of them to a minimum, as you don’t want the child to keep reliving the experience.
For those that have gone through it themselves, I would say be kind to yourself. Try to learn that you have come through something traumatic, and although you may have lost an eye or have scarring from it, it isn’t your whole identity, it is just part of you. If there are people that judge you, or make comments about it, that is on them, not you. Accept what you have been through and use it as a strength. There will be days of struggle, but that is normal, and it’s ok. Therapy provides invaluable support and enables you to realise how you truly feel about it and the ways it affects you that you may not be aware of of. Talk, learn and accept. This is a cycle I approach most things in life with. My desire is to be the person I always needed when I was going through retinoblastoma or coming to terms with as a teenager/young adult.
What are your dreams and goals for the future, both in football and outside of it?
Dreams within football have always been to win a major tournament with England, and to play for as long as my body allows! I am now doing my coaching badges and hope to begin my own foundation for children with a visual impairment to find their way in sport but also educate the parents and fellow coaches on how to support the child. Outside of football – I currently work as a TV Producer in live sports, and my ambition is to become a match director and producer across football and boxing. I have a desire to travel the world as much as possible so am looking at taking some time to travel around the US and South America.
If you could go back and give advice to your younger self, what would you say?
Be kind to yourself and know that you are completely okay as you are. Insecurities are totally normal, and they are loved. To not let those that speak ignorantly get to them and embrace every opportunity that comes their way. Do what makes you happy, not others, but expect to make mistakes along the way. Do not be ashamed of who you are or what you’ve been through, seek help when you need it and appreciate the good and the bad days.
Treatments for retinoblastoma have changed over the years. If you have any queries relating to retinoblastoma, please contact our support team at support@org.uk