A British toddler is critically ill in a Hong Kong hospital after suffering three cardiac arrests during a family holiday, and his family has been told it could cost £200,000 to bring him home to the UK.
One-year-old Matthew Lee, from Nottinghamshire, travelled to Hong Kong with his mother, Sophia, and grandmother when he was nine months old. He was due to meet relatives for the first time, but he suddenly became seriously ill with flu and his condition rapidly deteriorated.
Matthew suffered three cardiac arrests, during which his brain was reportedly deprived of oxygen for a total of 47 minutes. He has since spent his first birthday in hospital, away from his father and the rest of his family in the UK.
Condition and transfer plans
Matthew remains ventilated and critically ill, although his condition is currently stable. His family has been told he can travel home with a specialist paediatric team and medical equipment.
However, the complex journey from Hong Kong could cost as much as £200,000. Air ambulance charity Lia's Wings is working with Matthew's family and medical teams in Hong Kong and the UK to arrange the transfer.
Commercial airline options are limited because Matthew is ventilated and has complex medical needs. The charity said a private aircraft is currently the most medically appropriate option.
Fundraising appeal
Lia's Wings said it has entered "positive discussions" with aviation companies, but arranging the aircraft remains the biggest barrier to bringing Matthew home. The transfer would require two consultants, a specialist paediatric nurse and carefully selected medical equipment.
The money raised will help the charity plan, coordinate and facilitate Matthew's journey, as well as contributing towards the overall cost. If the transfer cannot take place, the funds will be used to help other seriously ill children and families requiring urgent medical air transfers.
Sophia said: "We are completely overwhelmed by the kindness and support people have shown us. We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who has shared Matthew's story, reached out and offered to help.
"We are desperate to get our little boy home. Being by Matthew's bedside is the only place I feel I should be right now, and although every day is frightening and uncertain, being with him is what keeps me going."
She added: "We would never normally ask for help like this. It is a situation we could never have imagined finding ourselves in, and we simply cannot make this happen on our own.
"Our only hope is to get Matthew back to the UK, where he belongs, so he can be reunited with his dad and receive the ongoing specialist care he needs. We are just a family who went away on holiday with our healthy little boy, and we desperately want to bring him home.
"We cannot thank everyone enough for standing with us and helping us fight to make that happen."
At the time of writing, the JustGiving appeal has raised more than £16,000.
