"I was operated on another breast in Madrid, I’ve had radiotherapy and now I’m fighting for my life," she told a Portuguese TV station, cited by the Daily Star.
She gave an interview before travelling to Italy to celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo’s 34th birthday. She admitted that this is not her first operation as she has beaten breast cancer once before, removing a lump back in 2007. She had also undertaken a successful course of radiotherapy and was understood to be taking anti-cancer drugs as well.
She refused to get into specific details about the second operation, merely noting that “no-one knows about the second one."
In 2009 Ronaldo donated £100,000 to build a cancer centre at a hospital that had helped save his mum’s life. He also donated to the Portuguese League Against Cancer in his native Madeira. Isabel Aguiar, director of the cancer charity, confirmed the donation at the time and said: "I believe he made the gift because of his mother Dolores.