A grandmother from Liverpool who was told she was free of cancer died of a heart attack days later while on a celebratory holiday in Turkey. Anne Morris, 63, from Page Moss, had spent two years battling lung cancer before receiving the all-clear. She flew to Icmeler, Turkey, the next day with her family. Three days into the trip, she suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite attempts by her husband, Alan, and medical staff, she had a second cardiac arrest while on life support and died in hospital on October 29.
Family faces large hospital bill
Her relatives say her travel insurance was invalid because she had not declared previous medical conditions, including COPD and cataracts. The family is trying to raise funds to cover a hospital bill of £33,500 and the cost of repatriating her body to Liverpool. The hospital is demanding half of the outstanding sum before Anne can be released to return home.
Anne, who had been with Alan for over 30 years, had been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) about 12 years ago. She regularly used a nebuliser due to breathlessness.
Holiday turns to tragedy
Anne flew to Turkey on Friday, October 16, with Alan to mark her best friend's birthday. Her son, Lee McMurrie, 42, said the family was "elated" when they learned Anne was cancer-free. He recalled: "When she was told she was cancer-free we were just elated. I was ecstatic. She had her life back and I thought I'd got my mum back."
Alan, 67, was sleeping in their hotel room when he sensed Anne getting out of bed. He heard "an almighty shout" and found her unable to breathe. He tried to resuscitate her and get her nebuliser. The night manager heard him and called an ambulance. Paramedics arrived within seven minutes, and Anne was taken to hospital and placed in intensive care. Doctors later told the family she had no brain activity.
Family appeal for help
Lee said the hospital staff told them she had no chance of survival, but the family did not believe it. "Mum was a warrior. She beat cancer. She was the matriarch of the family," he said. At 9.52am on October 29, Alan received a call urging him to come to the hospital. Anne had suffered another cardiac arrest and died.
The family was initially told Anne would need to be flown home by air ambulance while on life support, with an estimated cost of between £130,000 and £150,000. After her death, the repatriation cost dropped to £2,600, but the hospital bill has climbed to £33,500. Lee said they had also been charged about £3,500 per day for the two weeks Anne was in intensive care. He said: "The British Consulate say they can't help us. The insurance say they can't help us."
Anne was a mother of six and grandmother to 23 grandchildren. She had worked at Derby Lane Youth Club in Old Swan. Lee described her as "infectious" and said everyone who met her wanted her phone number. "Everybody wanted to go to Nanny Annie's. I don't know what I'm going to do without her," he said. Alan described Anne as his "world" and his "rock". The family has launched an appeal to bring Anne home to Liverpool, saying: "Our biggest priority now is to bring our beautiful wife, mum and nan home to Liverpool so that our family can be together and we can say our final goodbyes with the dignity she deserves."
