A 21-year-old who thought he had back ache ended up dying from cancer just a few days later.
When Gerald Green noticed pain in his back, his first thought was that he needed a new bed.
But the Paisley local’s condition deteriorated as he started vomiting and eventually coughing up blood.
Having tried to hide his symptoms from his parents Paula and Gerry, his mum eventually took him to hospital on January 19.
It was here that doctors discovered he was severely anaemic and rushed him into surgery to drain his kidney.
However, during the operation Gerald stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated by doctors. They then put him into an induced coma, and when he awoke tests revealed he had an incurable and highly aggressive cancer.
He was given a terminal diagnosis on January 26, with the family told that the cancer had “everywhere” and was in his bones and blood.
The St Mirren fan passed away on January 30, just hours after he had been transferred to St Vincent’s Hospice for end of life care.
His devastated family have said they are in “shock” following his passing and have urged people not to ignore symptoms and changes to their body.
Gerald’s cousin Ailley Colquhoun told the Daily Record that he had been “scared” by his symptoms.
She said: “So we’re urging anyone who has any symptoms like his to get checked out immediately, before it’s too late.”
Ailley added: “Our whole family were with him when he died. He told us he loved us and he said goodbye. Those were his last words. He passed away a few hours later.
“It was so quick, it’s hard to take in that he’s actually gone. We’re all in shock.”
She has since launched a GoFundMe in memory of Gerald to raise money for his funeral. Ailley said the family want to give him the “send off he deserves” and hopes any donations will take the “financial pressure” off his parents.
Ailley wrote: “Gerald was the youngest in the family and he was Paula and Gerry’s only son.
“He was always up for a laugh and very easy going. He never took life too seriously. Everyone always says how polite and kind he was.
“He had his whole life ahead of him but he was unaware of what was going on until last week. It’s just unbelievably sad.”
The fundraiser has already surpassed its target of £4,500, with £5,210 having been raised at the time of writing.
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