A British grandmother's relaxing holiday in Turkey has descended into a devastating medical crisis, leaving her stranded in a foreign hospital with a catastrophic spinal injury and a grim prognosis.
Susan Smith, 68, from Norfolk, suffered a devastating fall in her Antalya hotel room, an accident that doctors warn will likely result in complete paralysis. Medics at the Turkish hospital have delivered the harrowing news that the "best-case scenario" is permanent paralysis from the chest down.
The fall severed her spinal cord, requiring immediate emergency surgery. Her daughter, Chloe Smith, has flown to her bedside and is now facing a parent's worst nightmare unfolding thousands of miles from home. "We are living in a nightmare," Chloe stated, describing the emotional and logistical turmoil.
A Desperate Fight for Specialised Care
The family's immediate concern is the level of care available. While acknowledging the Turkish doctors are doing their best, they are desperately trying to repatriate Susan to the UK for specialist treatment at a renowned spinal unit. They believe this is her only hope for any potential recovery.
"We need to get her to a UK spinal injuries unit as soon as she is stable enough to be moved," her daughter pleaded. "We are desperate to get her home."
The Crushing Financial Burden
The crisis has been compounded by a financial shock. The family discovered that their travel insurance is invalid due to a previously undisclosed, unrelated medical condition. This has left them facing astronomical medical and repatriation costs alone.
With bills mounting and the need for a complex medical evacuation, the family has been forced to launch a desperate online fundraising campaign, seeking to raise £40,000 to cover the immense costs of flying her home via air ambulance with full medical support.
This tragic case serves as a stark reminder for all travellers to thoroughly check their insurance policy details and disclose all medical information before embarking on a holiday abroad.
