June Redman, a 75-year-old great-grandmother from Middlesbrough, is fighting for her life in a Turkish intensive care unit after a fall on the first day of her family holiday. Her daughter, Lisa Appleyard, has described the ordeal as a "living nightmare" as the family struggles to raise funds to bring her home.
Fall and sudden illness
June tripped on a step from the veranda into the hotel room, banging her head and cutting her arm. The hotel doctor and nurse treated her and said she did not need hospital care. But days later, on the day they were due to return home, June became severely unwell with dangerously low blood pressure.
At the hospital, doctors discovered her kidneys were working at just 8% and she had contracted sepsis. A week later, she developed pneumonia and was placed in an induced coma. She has since undergone a tracheotomy and is now awake, showing signs of improvement, but remains in intensive care at the Ahu Hospital in Marmaris.
Insurance shortfall
The family wants to bring June home to Middlesbrough for further treatment, but her travel insurance will only cover 21.28% of the cost. The remaining £31,500 for an air ambulance is beyond their means. They have raised £7,000 so far, including over £2,000 through a GoFundMe page set up by June's granddaughter Claire.
Lisa said her mother did not declare some aspects of her medical record, which the family says are not relevant to the incident. These include a COPD diagnosis that Lisa says they were unaware of, as well as eye drops and creams that June rarely uses. Lisa said the insurance company has "picked it to bits" and that June would have paid the extra premium if she had known.
Family's plea
"We desperately need help," said Lisa, 56. "It's horrendous. An absolute living nightmare. We are in no position whatsoever to cover the rest of these costs. We need to warn people, don't ever get yourself in this position - I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."
June, who is divorced and lives in Park End, worked for many years at Boots and a dry cleaners before retiring. She travelled to Turkey in mid-July with Lisa, her partner Stephen, granddaughter Claire, and great-grandchildren Lucia, 14, Zeki, 11, and Gabriel, six.
A spokesperson for Goodtogo Travel Insurance, a brand of Ancile Insurance Group, said: "Due to the complexity and ongoing nature of Mrs Redman’s case, we cannot comment on the details of the claim. We are working with Mrs Redman’s family to ensure the claim is resolved, and will continue to offer them support and assistance."
Claire, who set up the fundraising page, said: "What was meant to be a family holiday has turned into an incredibly frightening and uncertain situation for our family. If you know June, you will know how much she means to our family. She is our Noonie, and we just want to give her the best possible chance of coming home."
