Former manager Neil Warnock's thanks to Millers fans

Neil, who guided the Millers to Championship safety in 2016, said Sharon was cleared of breast cancer last month after being diagnosed with the condition during his time in charge at the New York Stadium.

But she now suffers with lymphoedema, which causes swelling in the bodys arms and legs.

"The support from the Rotherham fans was brilliant. It was quite emotional at the time - she just couldn't believe the response," he said.

"To be honest, though, it didn't surprise me because the fans were brilliant when I was there.

"They made it a lot easier for me too with all the travel I was doing, because it's very hard when things aren't right at home."

Sharon wrote a heartfelt letter to Millers fans last May to thank them for raising £1,000 for Cancer Research UK.

She was given the all-clear last month but Neil said the lymphoedema had really affected her confidence.

READ: "Don't blame the gaffer," says Newell

"It's always been something that Sharon worried about," Neil said.

"She thought lymphoedema was worse than the breast cancer itself because it affected everything."

Mum-of-two Sharon had to attend specialist lymphatic massage appointments, affecting her family life and routine. But she now has a specialist home treatment machine, LymphAssist, which massages the affected areas.

"We weren't aware at first of the sort of treatment and the machines that could help," Neil said.

"It seemed like a very black hole that we were in at that moment until we found a lot more out about everything.

"Now she drops our son William off at school. It fits in a lot more with family life - it's a lot more convenient."

Neil, who is now in charge at Championship side Cardiff City, said he hoped sharing Sharon's story would raise awareness of the condition, which affects more than 240,000 people across the country.

"It's amazing how many people aren't aware of what you can do to help yourself," he added.

"It's something that unless you know somebody who has got it, you don't really realise how many people are affected by it."

Sharon has also been invited to a specialist lymphoedema treatment centre in Oxford for an initial assessment later this month.