A Scots mum who fell ill at the Celtic Convention in Las Vegas was diagnosed with cancer after being rushed to hospital.
Ellen Cassidy, 54, had travelled from Springburn near Glasgow for a 10-day holiday with pals to attend the Hoops event.
Six days into her trip, the Celtic super-fan began suffering from pain near her kidneys and extreme fatigue.
She was rushed to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Centre in Southern Nevada last Thursday.
A scan found cancer in Ellen’s gallbladder and she was taken away for emergency surgery to remove the organ.
But when doctors operated, they found the cancer had already spread to Ellen’s lungs, kidneys and liver.
Her son Kevin Martin, 32, is now battling against the clock to get to his mum's hospital bedside after receiving a call from doctors who warned Ellen's cancer is advanced.
Speaking to the Record, Kevin said: “My mum had said she was feeling really tired and a bit unwell so she had been taking painkillers on holiday.
“Before flying out she was in good health and really looking forward to the trip. She’s Celtic daft.
“She phoned to say she was going to hospital so I knew she really wasn’t feeling well.
“When she called, she could hardly speak she was so breathless.
“Then she told me she was going for surgery, it was a total shock.
“I just said to her ‘we’ll get you better and get you back home’”.
But Kevin then received a heartbreaking phone call from a surgeon at the hospital who confirmed his mum’s cancer had already spread.
Kevin has been told Ellen may never come home and is likely to receive end of life care in the US as her cancer is so aggressive.
He continued: “My mum was too weak to phone me after her surgery.
“The doctor said during the operation they found the cancer in her liver, lungs and kidneys and it is spreading rapidly.
“They told me I had to fly to Vegas now to see her.
“I had to get an emergency passport yesterday for my flight.”
Kevin is due to fly to Las Vegas tomorrow morning but the flight has cost £1600 and he now faces wracking up debt from a hotel stay.
Kevin’s auntie has started a fundraising page in the hope of being able to raise cash for his accommodation.
The fundraising page can be found here.
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