We just want him home says North East mum facing £41,000 bill to repatriate seriously ill son

Due to an omission on his medical form, Ian’s insurance company have declined to pay out any financial support, leaving the family needing to find £41,000 to pay for the airplane to fly him home accompanied with the necessary medical staff.

Monica, 67, who has flown out to Cyprus with her husband Andrew to be at Ian’s bedside, said: “Ian has suffered multiple organ failure and is currently on dialysis and a ventilator. Because of the necessary medical care and hospital equipment, the only way we can get him home is by hiring a private air ambulance aircraft which comes accompanied with a doctor and paramedic.

“We’ve been quoted £41,000, which we just don’t have the money to pay. We’ve been looking to see if there is anyway we can release some of his pension funds early, but time is of essence, as we are due to fly home on Monday (June 16).

“We just want to get Ian home to the North East.”

Ian, 47, from Cramlington, fell ill whilst on holiday in the village of Tala in Cyprus with his wife Sarah.

Monica said: “It was May 18 when Ian fell ill. Ian and Sarah have friends in Cyprus and so they had gone to their apartment to watch the football. He had just had a mouth full of beer when he jumped up and ran outside to be sick.

“He lay on the sun lounger and was in excruciating pain. His friends called an ambulance and he was rushed into hospital in Nicosia and diagnosed with acute pancreatitis with necrosis and has suffered multiple organ failure.

“He is in a critical but stable condition, although this does tend to fluctuate - we nearly lost him last Friday (June 6).”

Since falling ill, Ian has been covered for his medical costs as he holds a European Health Insurance Card. However, when Monica and Sarah approached their insurance broker AXA Partners to look at getting Ian repatriated for treatment in the UK, there claim was declined due to him failing to mention his medical conditions of high blood pressure and being prone to producing elevated levels of uric acid - something which the family accepts is linked to Ian’s current medical condition.

The decline letter from AXA Partners on behalf of travel insurance provider Coverwise stated: “Unfortunately we are unable to proceed with your claim as your policy requires you to declare related previous medical history.”

Two of Ian’s friends, Lucy and Judith, have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to support the family with the financial costs and have so far raised £11,000.

Monica said: “I don’t think Ian would have missed off this information deliberately - he is not that type of person. We are trying to use as little money as possible in case we need it to help to fly Ian home. That’s why we are thinking of flying home.

“We are distraught at what has happened and just want to get Ian back home to the North East.”

A spokesperson for AXA Partners said: “We have been providing non-financial support where possible, including signposting the family to air ambulance providers which are within our network of providers.”