A Consett mum who was left stuck in Turkey after insurers refused to pay out for her emergency brain tumour surgery has finally been able to return home.
Lisa Robinson, 44, underwent life-saving surgery last month after being diagnosed with a brain tumour and a bleed on the brain while on a solo trip to Antalya. The mum-of-two became suddenly unwell after arriving at the Magic Smile Turkey clinic for a consultation on dental implants on Friday, June 24 and was taken to hospital.
Lisa was given just a 25% chance of survival but after undergoing an emergency 13-hour surgery went on to amaze doctors at the Anadolu Hastanesi Hospital with her progress. The mental health nurse said she was "lucky to be alive" but is now facing a second battle to raise £50,000 to cover the costs of her care.
It comes after insurers, AXA Partners, refused to pay out on the grounds that Lisa was aware she had a pre-existing medical condition, which she denies. Her family, who flew out to Turkey to be by her bedside, launched a Just Giving page in the hope of raising the funds to fly Lisa home with a doctor.
And now the family's prayers have been answered after generous people in the North East helped to foot some of the bill by raising more than £15,000 in just six days.
Sister Sharon Morris, from Newcastle, confirmed that Lisa and the family arrived safely back in Newcastle on Wednesday, July 13.
"There were many many hurdles we had to jump through to get to this point," Sharon said.
"It’s been one thing after another all the way and we were close to breaking point. Our flights were booked for 10.30am Turkish time and we landed at 1.20pm UK time at Newcastle Airport on Wednesday.
"Lisa was then transferred to the RVI for follow-up treatment. The Turkish hospital have allowed us to make a down payment of 15,000 euros and we have paid £2,500 for a flight with medical assistance.
"[But] we still have to pay the huge remaining balance of 55,000 euros by August 13.
"This whole situation has been very challenging and so stressful. I really do hope we will continue to accumulate some of this money as we just don’t have it."
Insurers AXA Partners said Lisa had sought medical assistance for severe headaches prior to travelling and had also been prescribed medication. The company said the policy she bought did not suit her needs, based on her "ongoing symptoms and previous medical history."
An AXA Partners spokeswoman said: “We are sorry to hear about Ms Robinson’s illness and are pleased that she is recovering well. Whilst we understand that this is a distressing situation, declaring previous medical history is extremely important when purchasing travel insurance, as not doing so can invalidate your policy.
"The initial question that Ms Robinson was asked at the start of the sales process, is there to determine the best policy cover based on any previous medical history. Had Ms Robinson declared her previous medical history, she would have been offered an alternative insurance policy that would have better suited her needs and covered her for medical assistance related to this condition whilst abroad.”
To donate visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sharon-morris-2?utm_term=Z8EGQDeP8
READ NEXT:
- 'I'm lucky to be alive' - Appeal to bring Consett mum home from Turkey after emergency surgery for brain tumour
- It's a shambles' - Newcastle mum living in France slams HM Passport Office after anxious wait to see if family could get home
Victoria's Secret gets ready to open in Newcastle city centre
Sneak peek inside landmark Newcastle pub as it gets set to open under new name after £300,000 revamp
Take a look inside The Bagel Factory as new fast food chain opens in Newcastle's Eldon Square
