A UK family is desperately trying to raise £31,000 to bring a grandmother home after she was left fighting for her life on holiday in Turkey. June Redman, 75, from Middlesbrough, is critically ill in hospital in Marmaris after developing sepsis and pneumonia. She was put into an induced coma following an emergency hospital admission during a family holiday.
Emergency admission and complications
June was on the first day of her holiday with her family when she suffered a fall at the hotel. She was rushed to hospital later in the holiday with dangerously low blood pressure. While being treated, she developed sepsis and soon contracted pneumonia, leaving her critically ill. Medical staff told her daughter, Lisa Appleyard, that they feared she would not make it and to prepare for the worst.
Thankfully, June is now conscious and beginning to demonstrate signs of recovery, albeit still in intensive care at the Ahu Hospital in Marmaris. However, the family are now desperate to bring her home.
Insurance shortfall and family plea
Teesside Live reports that the family’s travel insurance will only cover 21.28% of costs, leaving them with an outstanding £31,500 required for an air ambulance. Lisa, 56, said of the ordeal: "We desperately need help. 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."
The family travelled to Turkey last month. June was staying with Lisa and her partner Stephen, granddaughter Claire, 39, and great-grandchildren Lucia, 14, Zeki, 11, and Gabriel, six. Looking back on June’s fall, Lisa said that her mum stumbled on a step leading from the veranda into their hotel room. June struck her head and sustained two cuts to her arm. Initially treated by the hotel doctor and nurse, June was told that hospital treatment was unnecessary. But, after a few days, June became seriously unwell on the day they were due to fly home.
Medical details and insurance dispute
An ambulance was called after June’s blood pressure was found to be dangerously low. Once at the hospital, it was discovered that June's kidneys were functioning at just 8% and that she had developed sepsis. One week later, June’s condition became critical after contracting pneumonia. She underwent a tracheotomy, a procedure where a hole is made at the front of the neck to help breathing.
"They've reduced her oxygen, she's getting there very slowly. She is not well enough to come out of intensive care but she's fit to come home in an air ambulance. She's getting well-looked after but I just need her home in our hospital," Lisa said.
According to Lisa, the insurance firm is refusing to cover the full amount due to June allegedly failing to declare certain aspects of her medical history, which the family believe is unrelated to the incident. These undisclosed conditions include a COPD diagnosis, which Lisa claims none of them were aware of. Lisa said: "I didn't know she had COPD - all I knew was every year she used to suffer with bronchitis and she was given this pink inhaler which she used and hasn't had bronchitis since. I don't believe she knew either. My mum is a stickler, she always says you must have insurance if you're going away. Her policy cost her I think £72 and they said for the stuff she missed off the doctor's record, it would have made her policy £200. She would have paid that. But some of the stuff is ridiculous."
Fundraiser launched
Lisa added: "They've picked it to bits and said you didn't mention this and that. We want people to understand what can happen when someone becomes seriously ill abroad and an insurance company disputes the level of cover." A spokesperson for Ancile Insurance Group, the parent company of Goodtogo Travel Insurance, who June took a policy out with, told Teesside Live: "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."
The family has managed to raise £7,000 so far, including donations to a fundraiser launched by June's granddaughter Claire as they look to bring June home. "Everybody knows my mum is the most genuine, kindest, loveliest person and it's so unfair that it's happened to her. She hadn't been away for a few years and she loves going abroad. I thought she would have said Turkey is too far. But she said, 'count me in'," Lisa noted.
