Family needs £15,000 to fly sick dad back home

2:18pm Wednesday 15th October 2008

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THE distraught family of a seriously ill Leigh grandfather-of-five are appealing for help to bring him home from a Bulgarian hospital.

They desperately need £15,000 to fly 64-years-old John Clarke back by air ambulance for treatment after his insurance company refused to pay.

John was taken ill on the seventh day of a two week holiday with wife, Anne, in Varna and has been alone in hospital there for over three weeks.

While Anne had to return home to Laxey Crescent after the break, the first the holiday-loving couple had taken in the country, his 38-years-old daughter Debbie was last week flown out by the couple’s insurance company to be with her father and keeps daily contact with the family.

Son Michael, 37, of Heather Grove, Leigh, said: “We are at our wits end. We don’t know what is going on and we need to get him back here. We are appealing to anyone who can help us in our plight.”

Michael said: “My mum and dad went on holiday with insurance. Seven days into his holiday he became ill and was admitted to hospital on the tenth day.

“He did suffer from bronchitis and was finding it extremely hard to breath. We were told that stomach ulcers had burst and he also had two blood transfusions to help keep him alive.

“At the moment he is hooked up to a ventilator and after my sister arrived there she was told by an interpreter she had to hire that he had suffered a collapsed lung and had been in a coma for a week. He had also suffered rib damage. He wanted to fly home with mum but was not fit enough.

“At the moment the family are very distressed at the thought that we may never see him again. His condition is deteriorating, Debbie is on her own and no-one speaks English. It is horrible.

“The insurance company AXA have refused to pay for an air ambulance home because they say he failed to declare an illness on his insurance. We know that was a mistake, but his treatment is covered by other medical insurance.

“What we cannot understand is why AXA paid for my sister to fly out there on October 8 and for her accommodation but will not fund an air ambulance. We don’t know how long they will have to stay but he is in and out of consciousness and confused, and all the family are missing him.

“If there is any chance that some kind soul could help us get my dad back I would be in their debt for ever.”

If you can help contact Michael on 07788766630.