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Woman's bid to bring sister on life support home

Cerys Rees in hospitalImage source, Family handout
Image caption,

Cerys Rees is being cared for at a hospital in Turkey

  • Published

The family and friends of a woman put on life support and into a coma after a seizure say they "just want to get her home".

Doctors in a Turkish hospital treating Cerys Rees, from Pontypridd, made the decision to put her into a coma on Monday night, her sister said.

Cerys had gone 72 hours without a seizure but friends visiting the hospital were shocked by a downturn in her condition.

Now sister Rhianna Boundford is determined to raise as much as she can to bring Cerys home to south Wales.

"Friends arrived in Turkey and she was talking a bit yesterday - they went back in at 19:00 to find she was intubated and on life support in a coma," Rhianna said.

"The doctors just said she needs to be transported.

"Me and friends are trying to get quotes from different companies, the GoFundMe page has gone up but we are still quite short, " she added.

Rhianna said her sister is being treated for systemic lupus thrombosis in Baskent University Hospital in Turkey. The illness, also known as lupus, is a long-term condition that causes "joint pain, skin rashes and tiredness", according to the NHS.

"I think the condition is super rare," Rhianna said.

"I've asked and asked for specialist help but they [doctors in Turkey] say today there are no specialist hospitals - we are petrified obviously and we have the fight with the insurance company."

"I have been on to them to see if they can help in any way."

Rhianna hopes her sister could be treated at the University of Wales Hospital - if there's a bed for her.

Image source, Family Handout
Image caption,

Cerys Rees (top) with Rhianna and her daughter

Cerys' solo trip to Turkey had been organised to scatter her husband's ashes, and she fell ill before she was due to leave.

Rhianna said that in 2022 Mrs Rees had a seizure after she and her husband were hit by a drink-driver.

Rhianna said the insurance company is challenging the claim because of her previous health problems.

"We want to get her home, the sooner the better. If we can manage to get funds and with her being in a coma that means she can be transported.

"It's one thing after another - I don't know how we're all standing."

Loss adjusters Cega said it could not comment on individual cases.

White Horse Insurance Ireland said they were aware of the very difficult circumstances faced by the policyholder and their family at this time but cannot comment on specific individual cases.

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