A woman from Merseyside is facing a prolonged medical crisis in Tunisia after falling critically ill while boarding her flight back to the United Kingdom, with her family now urgently fundraising to secure her return home.
Medical Episode During Boarding Leads to Induced Coma
Niaomi Baker, a 33-year-old resident of Kirkby, was preparing to board her flight home on February 11 following a week-long holiday in Tunisia. However, she suddenly became unwell during the boarding process and was rushed to a local hospital in the north African country. Medical professionals placed her in an induced coma to stabilise her condition.
Family's Desperate Fundraising Effort
Nearly two months later, Niaomi remains bedbound in the Tunisian hospital. Her cousin, Laylla Baker, has revealed that the family is desperately trying to bring her back to Merseyside. A critical complication is that Niaomi travelled without any travel insurance, leaving the family to cover all medical and repatriation costs themselves.
They have launched a GoFundMe campaign with a target of £35,000, which includes a medical air ambulance quote of £33,200 plus additional associated expenses. Laylla stated, "We are asking from the bottom of our hearts for any support you can give. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to getting Niaomi home."
Limited Recovery and Communication Challenges
In a recent update, Laylla explained that medical staff attempted to wake Niaomi from the induced coma three weeks ago, but she has not regained full consciousness. "She isn't waking up properly. She's just opening her eyes from time-to-time," Laylla said. Communication between the family and the hospital's medical team has been restricted, though it has been suggested that Niaomi needs to be flown to the UK for further specialised treatment.
Family's Emotional Struggle and Background
Laylla, who is also from Kirkby, was unaware of her cousin's trip until she received a distressing phone call from one of Niaomi's carers on February 15—four days after the medical episode. "My heart just sunk, I had no words. I felt guilty, I felt like I had to be the one that has to be responsible," she recounted.
Niaomi's situation is compounded by personal circumstances. Her mother, Karen, passed away two years ago, and her father is currently in a nursing home, leaving her with no immediate family nearby. Additionally, Niaomi has a history of medical issues, including a previous diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) that once required an induced coma after her mother's death, during which she experienced up to 96 seizures daily.
Political Intervention and Personal Hurdles
The family has sought help from their local MP, Anneliese Midgley, who represents Knowsley. Midgley raised the issue in Parliament and expressed deep concern, stating, "I am deeply concerned for Niaomi and her family at this incredibly difficult time. I have been in regular contact with them and will continue to do everything I can to support them."
Laylla herself faces personal challenges that prevent her from travelling to Tunisia. She has recently been diagnosed with a grade two astrocytoma, a type of brain tumour, and cannot afford the necessary travel insurance due to her medical condition.
Urgent Appeal for Support
The fundraiser highlights the family's desperation: "They have advised that she needs to be transferred back to England. As a family, this is extremely worrying and heartbreaking to hear, and it has made the urgency of bringing her home even more critical." They emphasise that Niaomi is vulnerable and alone in a foreign country, with no one to support her recovery.
Laylla poignantly added, "You see it all the time on the ECHO and social media but you never expect it to happen to one of your own and when it does it just becomes so real. It's so scary." The family's sole focus is on reuniting Niaomi with her loved ones in the UK, where she can receive the care she desperately needs at facilities like the Walton Centre in Merseyside.
