Yahoo News Mum-of-four fighting for life in Tenerife as family face £30,000 medical bill
A North-east mum is battling for her life in Tenerife, with her family pleading for help to bring her back home.
Tracey Ellis, from Newcastle, was hospitalised while holidaying alone in Tenerife. The mother-of-four had to call an ambulance for herself on Saturday, June 22, due to severe stomach pains that left her crawling on the floor.
The 56-year-old was rushed to an emergency clinic where she was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. She was then moved to a private hospital and quickly admitted to the intensive care unit.
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Her family in the UK claim they were not informed by the hospital about her condition. They only found out when Tracey managed to contact her children - Connor, Curtis, Grant, and Amy - on Monday morning, telling them she was feeling slightly better.
However, by Monday evening, Tracey conveyed to her family how scared she was, revealing that the hospital was charging her £5,000 as she hadn't been able to sort out her travel insurance claim yet, reports Chronicle Live. The next day, her son Grant assured her that he and his brother would be flying out to see her. Tracey, from Kingston Park, responded to their text, which turned out to be the last time they heard from her.
Upon reaching the hospital, they were horrified to find Tracey in an induced coma, hooked up to life support. They immediately contacted their siblings, Connor and Amy, urging them to fly out as soon as possible as the next 48 hours were critical.
Upon reaching the Northern Tenerife hospital, the family faced a language barrier which made it difficult to understand the situation. They were informed that she had internal bleeding and the infection in her pancreas had spread to several organs.
Following this harrowing news, they were asked to deposit an additional £10,000 or face having her moved to another hospital. Connor, Tracey's 29-year-old eldest son said: "We were petrified to move mam in the critical state she was in. All we wanted to do was to be with her and not focus on the cost involved."
In response to the continuous monetary demands, Tracey was relocated to a state-funded hospital where she received additional treatment. The family is now attempting to organise travel back home if or when her health amends.
The medical fees have now escalated to £30,000. To help cover these costs, the family has created a GoFundMe page. Amy, aged 20, stated: "We have all been overwhelmed by everyone's kindness.
"All we want to do is focus on my mam's recovery. She's the strongest, bravest and kind-hearted mam. If anyone can please help us we'll be eternally grateful."
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