A HARLOW woman has made a plea to try and get her mother repatriated after falling ill in Turkey.

Lucy Groves said the following on a GoFundMe page.

“I really hate to do this and anyone that knows me knows I don’t like to ask for help but on this occasion I really need it 

“As some of you are aware my 79-year-old independent mum went on holiday to Turkey recently to meet friends, where she became seriously unwell.

She suffered a heart attack and was intubated and then had to have an emergency triple heart bypass in order to save her life.

“I rushed out to be with her but mum then caught pneumonia and had to be re-intubated to rest her lungs.

After five days they re-woke her up but then she suffered bleeding to her stomach muscles and was re-intubated for a third time.

Mum is now conscious but still critical and in intensive care in a hospital in Antalya. I’ve seen her via WhatsApp twice since then for a few minutes she is alone in a strange country and not really aware of what she’s been through up until yesterday.

“We thought her insurance was going to pay the bill but we received a call yesterday to say mum’s policy is void due to not declaring a medical condition.

She is registered blind and only 40% sight in one eye so guessing she didn’t see it 

“We have now been given a medical bill of £190,000 euros which is impossible to find. We just don’t have that sort of money to pay and I’m begging for any help no matter how small as we know these are hard times for everyone at the moment but we need to try and get mum home.

Unfortunately they won’t allow mum to be moved from the hospital until we’ve paid at least half the amount £100,000 they are holding her passport and giving her no contact from us.

I have been in touch with the consulate but all they can suggest is a go fund me page to help raise funds 

“As a family we are devastated and doing everything we can to try and pay in order to repatriated her back to the UK as soon as she is well enough to travel”.